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THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


A HANDBOOK  FOR 

ARTISTS  AND  ART  STUDENTS 

ON  THE 

CHARACTER  AND  USE  OF  COLORS, 

THEIR  PERMANENT  OR  FUGITIVE  QUALITIES  AND 
THE  VEHICLES  PROPER  TO  EMPLOY. 

ALSO 

SHORT  REMARKS  ON  THE  PRACTICE  OF 
PAINTING  IN  OIL  AND  WATER  COLORS.. 


BT 

WILLIAM  J.  MUCKLEY, 

AUTHOR  OP  THE  “MANUAL  OP  ARTISTIC  ANATOMY,”  ETC. 


NEW  YORK: 

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29  and  31  Beekman  Street. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  Year  1876,  by 
JESSE  HANEY  & COMPANY, 


In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


PREFACE. 


Maky  pictures  produced  at  the  present  time  are 
undergoing  rapid  changes,  sometimes  even  before 
they  leave  the  studio  of  the  painter,  so  that  a few 
years  hence,  it  is  probable  little  will  remain  of  their 
original  beauty.  This  clearly  shows  how  small  an 
amount  of  knowledge  has  been  acquired  by  the 
painter  of  the  chemistry  of  colors,  their  stable  or 
fugitive  character,  their  action  on  each  other,  or  the 
vehicles  necessary  to  convey  them  to  canvas. 

The  present  handbook  is  intended  to  supply,  in  a 
ready  and  concise  form,  what  is  required  in  this  di- 
rection. 

The  durability  of  a picture  ought  to  be  a matter 
of  conscientious  consideration  with  every  painter.  If 
he  does  not  employ  ordinary  precaution  in  order  to 
prevent  or  modify  those  changes  which  may  take 
place  in  his  works,  sooner  or  later  after  they  leave 
his  hands,  he  is  to  a great  extent  responsible,  if  not 
culpable. 

The  purchasers  of  pictures  rarely  ever  consider 
this  question.  It  therefore  becomes  all  the  more 
imperative  on  the  painter’s  part,  that  he  should 
thoroughly  deal  with  it  as  a necessary  part  of  his 
education  and  practice,  or  in  ignorance  he  may  lay 
himself  open  to  the  charge  of  supplying  to  his  client 
that  which  he  did  not  bargain  for. 


VI 


PREFACE. 


It  is  frequently  discovered  that  the  work  which  ha- 
been  so  well  paid  for  in  many  cases,  is  visibly  deteris 
orating  every  year,  and  almost  every  day* 

Suggestions  are  offered  in  this  manual  on  various 
other  matters  connected  with  the  practice  of  art. 
They  have  grown  out  of  a long  intercourse  with  stu- 
dents, all  of  whom  required  information  of  the  kind, 
not  only  at  the  beginning  of  their  career,  but  fj r 
some  time  afterwards. 

Short  remarks  have  also  been  made  on  the  methods 
of  painting  as  practiced  by  the  old  masters,  which 
may  perhaps  lead  students  to  investigate,  and  after- 
wards to  form  systems  of  working  for  themselves. 

The  various  causes  of  the  deterioration  of  pictures 
have  been  pointed  out,  and  the  remedy  suggested. 

Hints  are  given  on  the  treatment  pictures  ought  to 
receive  after  they  leave  the  hands  of  the  painter,  as 
they  are  often  ruined  from  want  of  a little  knowl- 
edge of  this  kind. 

In  preparing  this  handbook  the  author  has  re- 
ferred to  Fields’s  “ Chromotography,”  the  works  of 
colors  and  varnishes,  etc.,  by  Cennino  Cennini, 
Bouvier,  Merimee,  Chevreul,  Tingry,  and  others,  as 
well  as  personally  to  some  of  the  best  chemists  in 
the  country;  but  very  much  of  the  information  of- 
feied,  both  on  the  preparation  of  colors  and  vehicles, 
and  the  use  of  them,  is  from  the  personal  investiga- 
tion, experiments,  and  practice  of  the  writer. 

W.  J.  M. 


CONTENTS. 


Pigments,  and  their  Relation  to  Each  Other 7 

Permanent  Colors 7 

Useless  Pigments 28 

Semi-Permanent  Colors 29 

A List  of  Permanent  Colors  which  may  be  Used 
either  Separately  or  in  Combination  with  Each 

Other 85 

A List  of  Permanent  Colors  for  the  Most  Part 

UNNECESSARY 36 

A List  of  Colors  of  the  Second  Order  of  Perma- 
nence  36 

Fugitive  Colors 37 

Vehicles  or  Mediums  ; their  use  in  Combination  with 

Colors 40 

Turpentine 46 

Oil  of  Spike  Lavender 47 

Preparation  of  Colors,  Materials,  etc 47 

The  Mixing  of  Colors 49 

The  Nature  of  Colors 50 

Superiority  of  Panels  to  Canvas 55 

Damage  to  Oil  Paintings  by  Damp  and  Gas  58 

Color  of  Ground  for  Canvas 61 


viii  CONTENTS. 

Brushes 61 

Care  and  Treatment  of  Pictures 64 

Varnishing  Pictures,  etc 64 

Asphaltum  and  Fugitive  Colors 65 

Fissures 67 

The  Painting  Room 68 

Methods  of  Painting 70 

Imitation  of  Surfaces 72 

General  Remarks  on  the  Practice  of  Painting 73 

Bad  Effects  of  Scumbling 76 

Impasto  in  Oil  Painting 78 

Rapid  Sketching 79 

RePainting... 84 

Water  Color  Painting 85 

Sound  Elementary  Study,  the  Foundation  of  All 
Success 89 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


PIGMENTS,  AND  THEIR  RELATION  TO  EACH  OTHER. 

For  the  purpose  of  enabling  the  painter  to  acquire 
readily,  the  knowledge  relating  to  the  materials  to  be 
used  by  him,  the  information  in  this  handbook  has 
been  condensed  to  as  few  pages  as  possible. 

The  permanent  colors  have  been  the  most  fully 
described.  With  them,  nearly  everything  in  nature 
may  he  imitated.  It  was  not  necessary  to  enter  so 
much  into  detail  with  the  others,  except  as  a cau- 
tion. 

Those  colors  which  are  of  the  second  order  of 
permanence,  have  been  merely  referred  to.  Those 
which  are  absolutely  unsuitable  for  painting,  from 
their  fleeting  nature,  etc.,  have  been  simply  named. 

There  could  be  no  object  in  making  further 
reference  to  them,  for  so  far  as  the  painter  is  con- 
cerned, they  are  worse  than  useless  to  him,  and  the 
preparations  alluded  to  as  fugitive  should  be  strictly 
avoided. 


PERMANENT  COLORS. 

The  colors  which  may  be  safely  employed  by  the 
painter,  and  which  are  the  most  eligible  and  perma- 
nent, are  given  in  the  following  list: 


8 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


WHITES. 

Previous  to  the  discovery  of  oil-painting,  the 
whites  in  use  were  chiefly  pipe-clay  and  whiting, 
combined  with  animal  glue  size.  These  substances 
were  employed  in  the  composition  of  grounds,  and 
they  were  also  mixed  with  pigments,  being  at  the 
same  time  nearly  imperishable. 

When  painting  in  oil  was  first  practised  in  the 
fourteenth  century,  White  lead  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  introduced  as  a pigment,  but  only  as  a 
dryer. 

At  this  time  the  hard  white  ground  of  whiting 
and  size,  with  which  the  panel  was  prepared,  served 
for  all  purposes  of  light  in  the  picture.  The  oil 
colors  were  laid  on  it,  much  in  the  manner  of  the 
pure  water-color  painting  of  our  own  time.  On 
the  whiteness  of  this  ground  depended  the  brilliancy 
of  the  colors  and  the  work  generally.  This  process 
is  very  visible  in  all  the  early  works  produced  with 
oil-colors.  The  frequent  introduction  of  white 
lead,  as  a pigment,  came  immediately  afterwards, 
and  from  that  time  to  the  present,  it  has  always 
been  employed  in  oil-painting,  in  connection  with 
works  of  art. 

The  white  obtained  from  Zinc  is  of  modern 
discovery. 

White  dead,  and  Zinc  White,  when  properly  pre- 
pared, have  been  found  sufficient  to  supply  all  the 
whites  that  are  necessary  for  oil-painting.  They 
break  up  stable  pigments  into  tints,  very  satisfac- 
torily, giving  body  to  them  all;  and  used  alone,  they 
may  always  be  relied  on. 

Zinc  White  and  Flake  White  — The  former  is  a 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


9 


little  wanting  in  body,  but  is  more  permanent  than 
flake  white. 

In  winter  time,  Zinc  White  does  not  dry  well,  un- 
less assisted,  and  in  warm  weather  it  also  requires 
a little  help.  When  well  prepared,  it  is  a very 
eligible  pigment,  and  may  be  always  used,  either 
pure  or  in  combination  with  other  pigments,  with 
perfect  safety. 

Whites  made  from  lead,  such  as  Flake  White,  were 
always  employed  by  the  old  painters  in  oil-color. 
When  well  prepared,  and  the  conditions  have  been 
favorable,  Flake  White  has  been  found  to  be  per- 
manent. 

It  appears,  however,  to  lose  its  opa’city  by  age. 
When  painted  thinly  over  a dark  surface,  this  pecu- 
liarity becomes  very  visible  in  a few  years.  The 
dark  parts  show  through  the  white  lead  more 
and  more,  as  time  goes  on,  until  at  last  the  very  thin 
passages  of  white  disappear  altogether.  Impure  air 
and  sulphuretted  hydrogen  turn  white  lead  to  a 
dirty  brown  in  a short  time. 

Whites  from  lead  should  never  be  used  in  water- 
color  painting.  In  many  of  the  drawings  by  the 
old  painters,  patches  of  black  occur,  where  the  high 
lights  were  intended  to  be.  This  is  due  to  the  use  of 
white  lead. 

YELLOWS. 

No  permanent  true  yellow  pigment  appears  to 
have  been  discovered  by  the  ancients,  suitable  for  the 
painter’s  use.  Throughout  the  middle  ages,  all  the 
yellows  introduced  were  fugitive,  and  although  many 
yellow  pigments  are  now  offered  by  the  artist’s 
colorman,  no  thoroughly  satisfactory  one  has  yet 
been  discovered. 


10 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


It  has  been  supposed  that  the  early  painters  in 
oil  had  bright  permanent  yellow  and  orange  hues. 
It  must  be  confessed  that  these  colors  in  old  pic- 
tures, sometimes  look  rather  bright,  but  this  is 
chiefly  in  consequence  of  the  dark  and  sunken  con- 
dition of  the  surrounding  colors.  If  examples  of 
pure  yellow  and  orange  hues  be  actually  compared 
with  the  most  perfect  colors  of  the  same  kind  in 
old  pictures,  it  will  be  found  that  these  latter  are 
so  dull,  that  Naples  Yellow,  or  Yellow  Ochre  and 
white,  might  have  supplied  the  yellow,  and  the  same 
colors,  with  Vermilion,  produced  the  orange  hues 
alluded  to. 

Lemon  Yellow  has  the  reputation  of  being  perma- 
nent. It  is  the  only  color  of  the  kind  on  which  we 
are  at  all  able  to  rely  ; and  this  varies  so  often,  both 
as  to  purity  of  color  and  density,  that  it  will  rarely 
ever  serve  the  purpose  of  a primary.  It  should 
therefore  be  regarded  with  suspicion. 

The  transparent  vegetable  yellows  have  been  used 
during  the  last  three  centuries,  in  combination  with 
blues,  to  form,  greens.  In  all  cases  these  yellows 
have  flown  away,  and  only  the  blue  color  with  which 
they  were  originally  mixed  has  remained. 

This  change  is  best  seen  in  fruit  and  flower  pic- 
tures, and  more  especially  in  the  works  by  V an  Os, 
and  Van  Huysum. 

The  opaque  yellows  from  arsenic,  used  at  various 
periods  since  the  introduction  of  oil-painting,  have 
nearly  all  gone;  but  not  in  the  manner  of  the  trans- 
parent pigments,  for  the  arsenic  yellows  have  injured 
all  colors  with  which  they  have  come  in  contact. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


11 


ORANGE  HUES. 

Bright  and  stable  orange  pigments  were  also  un- 
known in  ancient  times.  Those  used  in  the  middle 
ages  were  unsuitable  for  painting,  whether  mixed  in 
oil  or  distemper  vehicle.  The  most  permanent  that 
could  be  made  were  produced  by  mixing  the  ochres 
or  Raw  Sienna  with  Vermilion.  The  hues  so  obtained 
were  not  very  bright,  but  they  have  proved  stable. 
In  modern  times,  down  to  the  discovery  of  the 
oranges  from  cadmium,  and  Orange  Vermilion, 
no  good  orange  color  has  been  found  out.  These 
last  two  pigments,  when  well  made  and  unadulter- 
ated, resist  the  usual  unfavorable  influences,  and 
are  of  the  greatest  advantage  to  the  painter. 

The  orange  hues  prepared  from  arsenic,  and  em- 
ployed during  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries, 
and  even  later,  have  nearly  all  turned  either  to  dirty 
brown  or  black.  When  Yellow  or  Indian  lakes  have 
been  mixed  with  Rose  Madders,  to  produce  orange 
hues,  they  have  become  fugitive,  leaving  the  madders 
as  though  nothing  had  been  combined  with  them. 

YELLOWS  AND  ORANGE  HUES. 

Aureolin.  Lemon  Yellow,  Naples  Yellow.  Yellow. 
Madder.  Yellow  Ochre.  Transparent  Golden 
Ochre.  Raw  Sienna.  Burnt  Sienna.  The  Orange 
Cadmiums.  Orange  Vermilion.  Field’s  Orange 
Vermilion. 

Aureolin . this  is  a new  color,  having  been  dis- 
covered only  a few  years  ago,  and  is  said  by  chemists 
to  be  very  permanent.  It  is  of  most  use  when  mixed 
with  white  and  other  colors,  and  landscape-painters 


12 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


will  find  it  very  serviceable.  When  glazed  over 
white  a pleasant  tint  is  produced. 

Lemon  Yellow  is  the  only  yellow  the  painter  can 
employ  with  safety.  It  appears  to  be  very  difficult 
to  make  of  a good  color,  being  nearly  always  soiled 
when  taken  from  the  tube.  When  prepared  with 
due  care,  it  is  looked  upon  as  permanent,  and  is  then 
very  pure  in  color.  Lemon  Yellow  is  not  dense  in 
body,  therefore  it  is  weak  when  combined  with  other 
colors,  and  soon  overpowered  by  them. 

Naples  Yellow , as  originally  manufactured,  was 
composed  of  lead  and  antimony.  It  was  then  per- 
manent; but  when  mixed  with  Yellow  Ochre,  or 
with  any  color  in  which  iron  was  present,  it  was  not 
stable.  It  was  also  necessary  to  avoid  the  use  of  the 
steel  pallette  knife,  and  use  an  ivory  one,  when  mix- 
ing Naples  Yellow  with  other  colors. 

In  enamel-painting  it  was  a useful  preparation. 

Naples  Yellow , as  now  made,  is  stable  under  all 
ordinary  conditions.  Lead  is  said  to  be  no  longer 
employed  in  its  preparation,  zinc  having  taken  the 
place  of  it.  But  Naples  Yellow,  as  now  sold,  is 
oftener  a combination  of  deep  Cadmium  and  White 
lead.  This  color  is  valuable  in  flesh-painting,  and 
more  especially  in  the  highest  lights. 

Yellow  NLaddtr  is  of  a brownish  hue,  but  very 
rich  and  transparent,  also  fairly  stable.  It  is  used 
solely  as  a glazing  color.  With  Yiridian  it  furnishes 
an  excellent  hue  for  deep  green  shadows,  and  would 
be  serviceable  in  landscape-painting.  It  needs  help 
in  drying. 

Yellow  Ochre  is  an  oxide  of  iron,  found  in  a 
natural  state,  and  varying  occasionally  in  the  bright- 
ness of  its  hue. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


13 


It  is  quite  permanent  in  itself,  and  may  be  safely 
used  'with  all  other  durable  colors.  When  mixed 
with  the  Vermilions,  or  Light  red,  it  is  most  valu- 
able in  flesh-painting.  The  old  masters  used  Yellow 
Ochre  to  a great  extent. 

Transparent  Golden  Ochre  is  of  the  same  nature 
as  Yellow  Ochre,  but  brighter  and  more  transparent. 
It  is  well  suited  to  landscape-painting. 

Raw  Sienna , is  an  earth,  owing  its  color  to  the 
presence  of  iron,  and  is  found  native.  It  is  semi- 
transparent, and  perfectly  stable.  It  is  very  useful 
to  the  landscape-painter,  and  the  painter  of  foliage. 
With  Viridian,  and  the  Green  oxides  of  chromium, 
it  furnishes  a variety  of  sombre  but  beautiful  greens, 
which  are  also  quite  reliable  as  to  stability.  When 
used  in  backgrounds,  either  with  Terre  Verte  or 
Vandyke  brown,  in  a semi-mixed  state,  it  produces 
an  agreeable  effect. 

Raw  Sienna,  does  not  dry  well  in  winter  time 
without  assistance. 

Burnt  Sienna  is  the  earth  above  referred  to, 
burnt  to  redness.  It  is  of  the  same  character  as  Raw 
Sienna,  and  of  equal  permanence,  and  dries  much 
better. 

Orange  Cadmiums  are  sulphides  of  the  metal 
cadmium.  These  pigments  are  productions  of  the 
present  century,  and  we  are,  therefore,  not  very 
well  acquainted  with  their  habits  in  paintings.  They 
are  said  by  chemists  to  be  quite  durable,  when  care- 
fully made  and  free  from  adulteration.  For  beauty 
and  depth  of  hue,  no  other  orange  pigment  ap- 
proaches them.  With  white  they  produce  a scale 
of  beautiful  tints,  and  often  supply  the  place  of 
Naples  Yellow. 


14 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


Cadmium  Orange  is  the  only  opaque  and  perma- 
nent orange  color  to  be  obtained.  When  employed 
in  tints,  Zinc  White  should  be  used  with  it,  although 
it  is  looked  upon  as  stable  when  mixed  with  Flake 
White,  or  any  of  the  lead  whites.  Like  all  the  rest 
of  the  cadmium  pigments,  it  is  a preparation  of  that 
metal  with  sulphur. 

The  degrees  of  heat  to  which  it  may  be  subjected 
alter  the  color  from  a lemon  yellow  down  to  a dee 
red. 

Orange  Vermilion,  like  all  the  other  -varieties  ot 
Vermilion,  is  a sulphuretof  mercury.  It  is  a durable 
pigment  when  unadulteiated  and  properly  prepared, 
inclining  to  red  rather  than  yellow.  With  white  it 
goes  well  into  tint,  and  is  a good  dryer.  In  delicate 
flesh-painting  it  may  be  used  advantageously. 

Field's  Orange  Vermilion  is  a preparation  much 
the  same  as  the  above,  only  manipulated  more  care- 
fully. It  is  perhaps  a little  brighter  in  color. 

REDS. 

Lasting  Beds,  both  bright  and  dull,  have  been  in 
use  during  all  periods  of  art.  Vermilion,  and  the 
reds  from  iron,  have  been  employed  from  the  earliest 
times  down  to  our  own. 

In  the  middle  ages,  the  Madders  were  much  re- 
sorted to,  and  their  permanent  character  has  war- 
ranted the  use  of  them  down  to  the  present  day. 

Some  of  the  Madders  to  be  seen  m the  old  paint- 
ings of  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries  are  still 
very  vivid.  The  Madders  and  the  Vermilions  are  the 
only  red  pigments  which  appear  to  have  kept  their 
original  brilliancy.  They  are  seen  in  the  greatest 
perfection  in  old  works  when  used  on  distemper 


the;  use  of  colors 


15 


grounds,  but  which  are  entirely  out  of  keeping  with 
the  rest  of  the  picture.  This  is  in  consequence  of 
the  faded  condition  of  all  the  other  colors  which  sur  - 
round them. 

Many  reds  have  been  added  to  the  old  list,  but 
they  are  either  ineligible,  or  require  the  greatest  care 
in  the  use  of  them. 

Chinese  Vermilion . Vermilion.  Scarlet  Vermilion. 

Extract  of  Vermilion . Venetian  Red . Light  Red. 

Red  Ochre.  Indian  Red.  Madder  Carmine.  Rose 

Madder.  Pink  Madder. 

Chinese  Vermilion  is  of  a full  red  hue,  and  not  at 
all  inclining  to  orange.  It  is  in  itself  quite  perma- 
nent, and  does  not  interfere  with  any  colors  which 
are  not  fugitive,  when  mixed  with  them. 

Vermilion  is  nearly  the  same  as  the  pigment  above 
described.  Its  habits  are  also  the  same,  and  when 
pure,  is  quite  permanent.  Whenever  this  color  can 
be  used  with  white,  instead  of  Rose  Madder,  the  tints 
produced  will  be  more  lasting.  When,  however,  Ver- 
milion has  been  adulterated  with  the  cheap  lakes, 
which  is  sometimes  the  case,  to  give  richness,  it  suffers. 

Scarlet  Vermilion  is  also  much  like  the  two  pre- 
ceding colors.  It  is  brighter,  and  is  of  a scarlet  hue 
and  quite  stable  when  pure. 

Extract  of  Vermilion  is  the  same  color  as  Scarlet 
Vermilion,  only  varying  in  the  name  given  to  it. 

Venetian  Red  is  a preparation  made  by  calcining 
sulphate  of  iron.  It  resembles  Light  Red,  but  is 
brighter.  When  well  washed  after  calcination,  it  is 
quite  permanent,  and  may  be  combined  with  any 
other  stable  color  with  impunity.  This  red  is  sup- 


16 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


posed  to  have  been  much  employed  by  the  old  Vene- 
tian painters;  hence  its  name. 

Light  Red  is  Yellow  Ochre  calcined  to  redness.  It 
varies  in  richness  according  to  the  brightness  of  the 
Yellow  Ochre  with  which  it  is  made.  It  is  much 
used  in  flesh-painting,  and  enters  well  into  combi- 
nation with  all  the  other  stable  colors.  In  itself  it  is 
perfectly  permanent.  Both  this  and  Venetian  Bed 
are  good  dryers. 

Red  Ochre  is  found  native.  It  is  not  so  bright  as 
Venetian  and  Light  Bed,  and  although  permanent, 
is  superfluous  for  the  painter’s  use. 

Indian  Red  is  a natural  product,  and  a peroxide  of 
iron.  Its  body  is  of  great  density,  and  requires  more 
grinding  than  is  usually  given  to  it. 

It  is  much  used  in  the  shadows  of  flesh-painting, 
and  is  quite  permanent.  In  the  course  of  time  it 
eats  through  white,  or  light  colors,  when  thinly 
painted  over  it. 

The  whole  of  these  iron  reds  have  been  much  em- 
ployed in  the  works  of  the  old  painters,  and  have 
remained  almost  unchanged. 

Madder  Carmine  is  the  richest  and  most  beautiful 
of  all  the  lakes,  when  well  prepared  and  free  from 
adulteration  with  cochineal.  The  costliness  of  this 
color  induces  adulteration,  in  which  case  it  is  not 
permanent;  but  when  obtained  pure,  it  will  last 
hundreds  of  years  without  undergoing  much  change. 
When  it  is  used  in  tints  with  white,  Zinc  White  is 
preferable  to  Flake  White.  This,  with  all  the  other 
lakes,  requires  assistance  in  drying. 

Rose  Madder  is  of  the  same  nature  as  the  last- 
named  color,  varying  chiefly  as  to  hue.  It  is  of  a 
beautiful  rose  color  when  pure,  and  may  be  used  for 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


17 


glazing  in  flesh-painting.  When  mixed  with  Zinc 
White  and  Naples  Yellow,  it  may  also  be  used  for 
the  same  purpose.  When  Rose  Madder  is  carefully 
prepared  and  pure,  it  may  be  considered  quite  per- 
manent. Some  of  the  red  draperies  to  be  seen  in 
the  pictures  by  Fra  Angelico  and  Hans  Membling,  as 
well  as  those  in  other  works  by  the  ancient  masters, 
are  painted  with  Rose  Madder,  and  the  color  does 
not  appear  to  have  either  changed  or  faded. 

Pink  Madder , this  is  of  the  same  character  as 
Rose  Madder,  only  a weaker  preparation.  No  lakes 
prepared  from  cochineal  should  ever  have  a place  on 
the  palette,  as  they  are  all  fugitive.  Transparent 
permanent  reds  are  only  to  be  obtained  from  Madder. 
Copal  varnish  is  the  best  dryer  for  madders. 

BLUES. 

The  most  perfect  of  all  the  primaries  is  the  blue 
obtained  from  the  stone  known  by  the  name  of 
Ultramarine. 

It  is  nearly  a pure  color,  and  quite  permanent 
whether  used  alone  or  in  tints  with  white. 

Before  the  discovery  of  this  stone,  the  ancients 
used  blues  produced  from  copper,  all  of  which  have 
turned  to  a greenish  hue. 

Factitious  Ultramarine,  and  the  blues  produced 
from  Cobalt,  come  next  to  the  pure  Ultramarine 
Blue  in  permanence.  All  other  blues  are  more  or 
less  fleeting. 

Some  of  the  Cobalt  preparations  are  produced  by 
prolonged  and  intense  heat.  Painters  who  are  aware 
of  this,  sometimes  suppose  that  this  insures  perma- 
nence. Such  is  not  the  case;  for  under  certain  con- 
ditions these  blues  change  rapidly. 


18 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


Ultramarine — Genuine . Lapis- Lazuli.  Brilliant 

Ultramarine.  French  Ultramarine . Cobalt . 

Cerulean. 

Ultramarine — Lapis-Lazuli — is  a blue  stone, 
ground  to  an  impalpable  powder.  It  is  the  most  costly 
of  all  colors,  and  its  permanence  may  be  thoroughly 
relied  on.  The  old  painters  were  much  in  the  habit 
of  using  it,  for  even  at  that  early  date  they  were  well 
assured  as  to  its  stable  character.  The  grays  in  flesh 
were  most  frequently  made  with  a combination  of 
Ultramarine  and  other  colors.  In  the  draperies  of 
small  works,  no  doubt  it  was  used  nearly  pure,  and 
has  remained  untarnished  until  the  present  time. 
Ultramarine  varies  much  in  the  intensity  of  its  color; 
the  deepest  portions  of  the  stone  being  selected  for 
the  finest  and  richest  hues  in  painting.  It  is  the 
nearest  approach  to  a perfect  blue  that  has  been  ob- 
tained. All  other  blues  have  either  a purple  or  a 
green  tendency.  The  various  degrees  of  coloring 
matter  which  the  stone  is  found  to  possess,  give  a 
scale  of  blues  differing  in  intensity,  beginning  with 
the  deepest,  and  ending  in  the  blue  known  as  gray 
Ultramarine  ash.  It  is  a good  dryer,  and  quite  as 
valuable  in  water-color  painting  as  it  is  in  oil,  work- 
ing well  in  both  mediums.  This  stone  is  found 
chiefly  in  China  and  Thibet. 

Brilliant  Ultramarine,  sometimes  called  Factitious 
Ultramarine,  was  discovered  by  Monsieur  Guimet, 
the  French  chemist,  and  prepared  in  imitation  of 
the  genuine  blue  stone,  which  it  approaches  very 
nearly. 

This  color  is  permanent,  and  really  possesses 
much  of  the  beauty  of  the  Lapis-lazuli;  it  is  nearly 
transparent,  and  as  intense  as  the  native  color. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


19 


When  used  in  glazing,  its  color  is  of  a pure  blue 
hue,  sometimes,  perhaps,  inclining  to  purple.  To 
the  landscape-painter  it  is  of  great  use. 

French  Ultramarine  is  of  the  character  of  Brilliant 
Ultramarine,  but  not  quite  so  bright  and  transparent. 
Although  this  color  is  a good  one,  there  is  hardly 
any  necessity  for  it  on  the  palette,  when  either  of  the 
two  blues  already  referred  to  are  present. 

Cobalt  Blue  is  made  from  the  metal  Cobalt;  it  is 
a useful  and  eligible  color.  It  varies  in  tint  from 
those  already  described,  and  may  be  considered  per- 
manent. When  used  thinly  over  white,  it  serves  as 
a glazing  color,  but  when  employed  in  a body  it  is 
opaque.  It  is  a good  dryer. 

Cerulean  Blue  is  prepared  from  Cobalt,  and  is  of  a 
greenish  hue.  Its  chief  use  is  in  the  formation  of 
greens  in  combination  with  any  of  the  yellows;  with 
Lemon  Yellow  it  produces  a bright  and  beautiful 
green.  It  is  valuable  for  painting  drapery,  and  also 
furnishes  useful  tints  for  the  landscape-painter. 

When  glazed  thinly  over  white,  it  gives  a bright 
and  agreeable  color,  and  its  beauty  is  then  brought 
fully  out.  It  dries  well,  and  is  permanent. 

Blues  from  Cobalt  are  unaffected  by  strong  heat. 
The  writer  has  long  prepared  for  his  own  use  both 
Cerulean  and  Cobalt  blues  for  painting  in  enamel,  as 
well  as  for  oil-painting. 

GREEN’S. 

The  ancients  were  acquainted  with  Terre  Verte, 
and  also  with  greens  produced  from  copper.  The 
other  green  hues,  which  we  find  on  mummy  cases, 
$nd  on  the  walls  of  ancient  Egyptian  buildings,  were 


20 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


most  likely  produced  by  mixing  blues  with  such 
yellow  or  orange  colors  as  they  had  at  command. 

Prussian  and  Indigo  Blues,  in  combination  with 
the  Yellow  Lakes,  have  furnished  all  the  dark  trans- 
parent greens  used  at  least  for  the  last  two  hundred 
years. 

Great  changes  have  taken  place  in  these  pigments, 
being  of  a fugitive  character,  and  varying  in  this  re- 
spect, according  to  the  situations  of  the  works  in 
which  they  have  been  present. 

Numerous  greens  have  been  manufactured  in  more 
modern  times.  But  until  the  discovery  of  the  green 
oxides  of  chromium  none  have  proved  fully  eligible 
for  the  painter’s  use. 

Viridian,  and  the  Transparent  Oxide  of  Chro- 
mium, sometimes  called  the  Emerald  Oxide  of 
Chromium,  are  very  beautiful  hues.  We  are  assured 
that  they  are  permanent,  although  they  are  of  recent 
discovery.  Should  their  stability  be  proved,  they 
will  be  of  much  value  to  the  painter’s  art. 

Opaque  Green  Oxide  of  Chromium . Transparent 

Green  Oxide  of  Chromium . Viridian . Terre 

Verte. 

The  two  Chromium  Greens  here  given  are  pre- 
pared from  the  metal  chromium,  and  must  not  be 
confounded  with  greens  produced  by  a mixture  of 
chromate  of  lead  (Chrome  Yellow)  and  Prussian  Blue, 
both  of  which  pigments  are  semi-fugitive,  and  ought 
rarely  to  be  used  by  the  painter.  Chromium  Green 
is  found  a natural  state  but  is  of  a dull  hue.  That 
used  for  painting  purposes  is  usually  prepared.  The 
opaque  kind  is  very  powerful  and  dense,  and  should 
seldom  be  used  pure.  With  any  of  the  permanent 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


21 


yellows  it  mixes  in  a very  friendly  way.  With  Raw 
Sienna  it  gives  a sombre  and  semi-transparent  green. 
With  Lemon  Yellow,  a bright  and  useful  color,  is 
produced  for  painting  foliage,  and  for  landscape- 
painting. White  may  also  be  mixed  with  Chromium 
to  a great  advantage.  Under  all  conditions  it  is  per- 
manent. Even  when  subjected  to  a great  heat,  its 
color  is  unaffected. 

The  Transparent  Oxide  of  Chromium  is  equally 
eligible  for  the  painter,  and  may  be  modified  with 
the  yellows  in  the  same  way  as  the  opaque  kind. 

If  the  landscape-painters  of  our  time  were  well 
acquainted  with  the  merits  of  the  green  compounds 
which  may  be  made  by  mixing  the  chromium  oxides 
with  the  yellows  named,  they  would  use  them  more 
than  they  are  in  the  habit  of  doing,  as  they  meet 
every  necessity,  and  are  not  only  changeable  in 
themselves,  but  they  do  not  affect  colors  that  are 
mixed  with  them. 

Viridian  may  be  looked  upon  as  a new  color. 
It  is  transparent  when  used  thinly,  and  semi-opaque 
used  in  a body.  Of  all  the  greens  it  is  the  deepest 
and  the  richest.  To  the  painter  of  foliage  and  the 
landscape-painter  it  is  most  useful,  and  will  furnish 
the  brightest  hues  of  green  which  they  may  require. 
When  combined  with  Aureolin  and  glazed  over  white 
it  produces  a fine  color,  and  well  suited  to  represent 
transmitted  light  through  foliage,  which  is  usually 
very  vivid.  Viridian  dries  well,  and  is  said  to  be  un- 
exceptionable as  to  permanence. 

This,  like  the  two  greens  just  described,  is  pre- 
pared from  the  metal  chromium. 

Terre  Verte  is  a green  native  earth,  semi-trans- 
parent, and  of  little  body.  It  is  one  of  the  old 


22 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


colors,  and  consequently  was  employed  by  the  early 
painters  of  different  countries.  When  mixed  with 
Raw  Sienna  a fine  sombre  hue  is  produced. 

It  is  of  such  little  density  that  it  should  not  be 
mixed  with  opaque  colors,  as  it  would  be  immedi- 
ately overpowered  by  them.  In  landscape-painting 
it  is  of  much  use,  and  when  the  painter  is  able  to 
employ  it  with  other  colors  in  a half-mixed  state, 
it  produces  a pleasant  effect.  It  is  a good  dryer, 
and  when  pure  quite  permanent. 

The  greens  here  described,  when  mixed  with  the 
various  permanent  yellows  also  referred  to,  leave 
nothing  to  be  desired  by  the  landscape-painter  with 
respect  to  these  colors,  and  should  he  produce  works 
of  a fugitive  character,  it  must  be  the  result  for 
the  most  part  of  carelessness,  or  from  the  colors 
themselves  being  adulterated. 

PURPLES. 

In  consequence  of  the  many  allusions  which  have 
been  made  to  the  Tyrian  Purple  of  the  ancients,  it 
has  been  supposed  that  they  possessed  some  bright 
and  permanent  pigment  of  that  name.  Of  this  we 
have  no  real  evidence  whatever.  That  to  which 
reference  has  been  made  by  ancient  writers  and 
others  was  most  probably  nothing  more  than  a dye 
or  coloring  matter  for  textile  fabrics,  altogether  un- 
suited as  a pigment  for  the  painter. 

In  the  middle  ages,  a permanent  but  dull  purple 
pigment  was  prepared  from  gold  and  tin,  for  color- 
ing glass  of  a ruby  tint.  This  preparation  would  no 
doubt  be  also  employed  in  the  early  works  in  dis- 
temper, and  in  the  illuminated  missals  of  that  period, 
as  it  was  well  suited  for  the  purpose.  But  the  cost 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


23 


of  producing  this  purple  would  prevent  its  being 
brought  into  more  general  use. 

The  madders  and  the  blues  in  combination  were 
resorted  to,  to  supply  what  purple  hues  were  then 
further  required. 

At  the  present  time  we  have  no  addition  to  the 
palette,  with  the  exception  of  Purple  Madder,  which 
is  rich,  but  rather  dull.  Indeed,  nothing  more  is  re- 
quired. For  the  production  of  small  works,  pure 
Ultramarine  and  the  madders  supply  a series  of 
beautiful  hues  which  may  always  be  relied  upon. 

For  large  pictures,  the  Factitious  Ultramarine, 
with  the  madders,  will  serve  all  purposes  required  in 
the  formation  of  purples. 

Purple  Madder.  Burnt  Madder.  Gold  Purple 
Rubens  Madder. 

Purple  Madder.  Of  purple  pigments  this  alone  is 
the  most  useful.  It  is  a costly  preparation,  but  in 
every  respect  is  perfectly  well  suited  for  the  palette, 
being  as  permanent  as  any  other  of  the  madders. 
It  combines  readily  with  all  colors,  dries  well,  and  is 
of  good  body. 

A color  nearly  approaching  Purple  Madder  may 
be  made,  by  mixing  Factitious  Ultramarines  with 
deep  Rose  and  Brown  Maddeas,  and  is  almost  as 
eligible  as  Purple  Madder.  For  touches  of  dark  in 
the  deepest  shadows,  it  is  very  useful,  both  on  ac- 
count of  its  depth,  transparency  and  permanency. 

Burnt  Madder  is  a brownish  purple,  but  its  costli- 
ness stands  in  the  way  of  general  use.  It  is  an  ex- 
cellent preparation,  and  perfectly  stable  when  well 
made. 

Gold  Purple , called  Purple  Cassius — it  is  a precip- 


24 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


itation  of  nitro-muriate  of  gold,  by  a solution  of 
tin.  This  color  is  expensive,  but  it  is  by  far  the 
most  permanent  purple  pigment  known. 

The  writer  has  often  made  this  preparation  of 
gold  for  painting  purposes,  and  it  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  of  all  experiments,  showing  the  pre- 
cipitation of  a metal  from  its  solution.  It  is  used 
chiefly  in  the  manufacture  of  the  artifical  ruby 
and  ruby  glass. 

When  a very  brilliant  purple  is  required,  Rose 
Madder  should  be  glazed  over  a pure  white  ground, 
and  when  this  is  dry,  either  of  the  Ultramarines 
referred  to  may  be  glazed  on  the  Madder.  This 
method  gives  a bright  and  permanent  purple.  A 
dull,  opaque,  but  useful  and  lasting  purple  may  be 
made  by  mixing  together  Vermilion  and  the  real  or 
Factitious  Ultramarine.  This  compound  color  goes 
well  into  tint  with  white. 

Rubens  Madder  is  a warm,  deep  and  transparent 
russet,  very  useful  both  to  landscape  and  figure- 
painters.  It  is  permanent,  but  a bad  dryer,  and 
when  employed,  copal  varnish  should  be  mixed  with 
it. 

BROWNS. 

It  is  a fortunate  circumstance  that  there  is  no 
lack  of  stable  and  eligible  brown  pigments,  this 
color  being  so  much  required  in  the  production  of 
paintings,  and  perhaps  even  more  so  than  any  other. 
It  enters  much  into  the  color  of  backgrounds, 
furniture,  draperies  and  accessories  of  pictures,  the 
shadows  of  objects,  &c. 

Sketches,  pictures,  or  engravings,  produced  en- 
tirely in  brown  hues,  are  generally  agreeable,  while 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


25 


no  other  color  whatever,  used  for  the  same  purposes, 
could  be  endured. 

It  has  often  been  thought  that  the  old  painters 
possessed  a brown  pigment  with  which  we  are  now 
unacquainted.  This  has  been  inferred  from  the  ap- 
pearance which  the  browns  in  their  pictures  now 
present.  But  it  should  be  remembered  that  we  do 
not  see  these  pigments  as  they  were  when  first 
employed,  but  only  after  time  has  done  its 
work  on  them,  and  on  the  vehicles  with  which  they 
were  always  mixed.  It  is  therefore  improbable  that 
the  old  painters  were  in  possession  of  any  brown 
color  unknown  to  us. 

Vandyke  Brown . Raw  Umber.  Burnt  Umber . 

Brown  Madder . 

Amongst  all  the  browns  at  the  command  of  the 
painter,  Vandyke  Brown  may  perhaps  be  considered 
the  most  useful.  The  Vandyke  Brown  of  former 
times,  and  of  the  days  of  the  painter  whose  name 
it  bears,  was  made  of  an  earthy  bog  brought  from 
Cassel. 

The  Vandyke  Brown  of  to-day  is  a bituminous 
ochre,  and  nearly  resembling  the  ancient  color  of 
that  name.  It  is  permanent,  and  an  excellent 
glazing  color,  for  which  purpose  it  is  mostly  used, 
and  often  in  combination  with  other  transparent 
colors.  The  palette  should  never  be  set  without 
it.  When  employed  m a semi-mixed  state  with 
Terre  Verte,  a very  pleasing  effect  is  produced.  It 
dries  well  with  a little  help. 

Raw  Umber  is  a native  ochre.  It  is  seldom  used 
alone.  In  combination  with  black  and  white  and 
other  colors  to  form  grays,  it  is  valuable.  It  may 


26 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


also  be  employed  to  advantage  with  the  primaries,  to 
assist  in  taking  those  colors  into  shadow. 

In  backgrounds  and  in  landscape-painting  it  is 
also  very  useful.  It  is  perfectly  stable,  and  a good 
dryer. 

Burnt  Umber  is  deeper  than  Raw  Umber  in  con- 
sequence of  being  calcined.  Its  color  inclines  to  a 
red  brown,  and  is  semi-opaque.  Mixed  with  cooler 
colors,  it  forms  an  agreeable  hue.  With  some 
painters  it  finds  much  favor,  but  is  rarely  ever 
employed  alone.  It  is  very  permanent,  and  a good 
dryer. 

Brown  Madder  is  another  production  of  the 
madder  root,  and  of  great  depth,  transparency  and 
beauty.  It  is  a good  dryer  and  permanent.  Both 
the  landscape  and  figure-painter  find  this  color  of 
the  greatest  use.  In  water-color  painting  it  is  much 
employed  and  with  excellent  effect. 

Rubens  Brown  is  lighter  and  yellower  than  Van- 
dyke Brown.  In  the  dark  parts  of  pictures  it  will 
be  found  useful. 

Permanent  browns  are  numerous,  as  we  have 
pointed  out,  but  those  named  will  be  found  quite 
sufficient  for  the  painter’s  use. 

GRAYS. 

A number  of  grays  are  produced  and  offered  to 
the  painter  by  the  color-maker,  all  of  which  are 
nearly  useless.  Grays  of  all  tints  can  be  so  easily 
compounded  with  white,  black,  and  various  other 
pigments,  that  there  is  no  necessity  for  the  painter 
to  trouble  himself  m the  least  about  those  offered 
in  commerce.  What  is  more,  the  grays  made  by 
combination  in  the  hands  of  the  artist  will,  in  all 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS.  27 

probability,  be  found  more  stable  than  those  mixed 
by  the  color-man. 

These  remarks  apply  chiefly  to  the  painter  in  oil. 
To  the  water-color  painter,  Ultramarine  ash  will  be 
found  very  useful  as  well  as  permanent. 

BLACKS. 

Black  may  be  said  to  be  the  negation  of  light  and 
color,  and  is  capable  of  giving  the  greatest  value  to 
both.  Most  of  the  black  pigments  used  by  the 
ancients  were  carbonaceous  substances,  and  they 
were  also  of  a very  permanent  character.  Those  of 
modern  times  are  equally  stable. 

Good  colorists  have  frequently  introduced  black 
draperies  and  furniture  into  their  works  for  the  sake 
of  contrast.  When  this  is  judiciously  done  it  pro- 
duces an  excellent  and  telling  effect. 

In  the  pictures  by  Rubens,  we  often  see  black  and 
yellow  brought  together.  In  most  of  the  fine  por- 
traits by  Ravenstein,  Rubens,  Vandyke,  Rembrandt, 
Valasquez,  Antonio  More,  Moroni  and  others,  the 
apparel  and  draperies,  &c.,  are  all  black  and  white. 
The  effect  is  very  fascinating,  while  the  contrast  with 
the  flesh  tints  is  remarkable. 

Blue  Black  and  Ivory  Black . 

Blue  Black  is  one  of  the  most  serviceable  of  the 
numerous  and  good  preparations  of  this  kind  at  the 
command  of  the  painter. 

The  best  is  procured  from  vine  twigs  burnt  to 
charcoal.  W^hen  mixed  with  white  it  produces 
bluish  tints,  and  may  be  always  used  in  flesh- 
pamtmg,  both  in  the  half  tints  and  in  the 
shadows. 


28 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


Ivory  Black  seldom  contains  much  of  the  matter 
from  which  it  takes  its  name.  It  is  made  chiefly 
of  bones  charred  to  blackness.  When  broken  up 
into  tints  with  white  and  Raw  Umber  a series  of 
neutral  grays  may  be  formed,  which  will  be  found 
very  useful  when  painting  the  shadows  and  half 
tints  of  white  objects.  Ivory  Black  is  of  greater 
depth  and  transparency  than  Blue  Black,  and  may 
be  used  as  a glazing  color.  With  Vandyke  Brown 
it  is  serviceable  when  so  employed. 

In  these  two  blacks  the  painter  has  all  that  is 
necessary  of  the  kind.  To  add  others  would  be 
simply  to  take  up  room  on  his  palette  to  no  pur- 
pose. 


USELESS  PIGMENTS. 

The  following  colors  are  stable,  but  unnecessary. 
Those  already  described  in  the  permanent  list  will 
answer  the  painter’s  purpose  much  better.  Never- 
theless, should  he  be  disposed  to  employ  any  of 
them,  he  may  do  so  with  impunity. 

WHITES. 

Blanc  tf  Argent,  or  Silver  White.  London  and  Not- 
tingham White. 

YELLOW. 

There  are  no  permanent  yellows  besides  those  al- 
ready referred  to. 

OCHRES. 

Roman  Ochre . Brown  Ochre.  Oxford  Ochre . Stone 
Ochre.  Di  Palito , or  Light- Yellow  Ochre . 

RED. 

Cadmium  Red. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


29 


BLUES. 

New  Blue.  Blue  Ochre . 

GREEN’S. 

Scheele's  Green.  Cobalt  Green.  Olive  Oxide  of 
Chromium.  Olive. 

PURPLES. 

Mars  Violet.  Cobalt  Purple . 

BROWNS. 

Mars  Brown . Mixed  Citrine.  Bistre.  Bone  Brown. 
Caledonian  Brown.  Cappah  Brown.  Chalons 
Brown.  Cologne  Earth.  Verona  Brown.  Man- 
ganese Brown. 

GRAYS. 

Mineral  Gray.  Mixed  Gray.  Neutral  Gray . 

BLACKS. 

Lamp  Black.  Mixed  Black.  Black  Ochre.  Bone 
Black.  Frankfort  Black.  Manganese  Black . 
Mineral  Black.  Purple  Black.  Spanish  Black . 
Black  Lead. 


SEMI-PERMANENT  COLORS. 

The  colors  which  may  be  placed  in  the  second  or- 
der of  permanence  and  fitness  are  here  given.  Under 
favorable  conditions  most  of  them  will  last  a long 
time.  But  their  tempting  hues  and  inviting  appear- 
ance have  allured  many  painters  to  the  undue  use  of 
them. 

WHITES. 

Cremnitz  White , is  sometimes  known  as  Vienna 
White.  It  is  very  bright  in  appearance,  even  sur- 


30 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


passing  Flake  White,  but  not  so  dense  in  body.  It 
is  a preparation  of  lead. 

Cadmium  White,  although  an  attractive  pigment, 
is  liable  to  change  when  combined  with  other  colors. 
It  is  prepared  from  the  metal  Cadmium  by  precipi- 
tation and  other  processes. 

YELLOWS. 

Lemon  Cadmium  ( Sulphide  of  Cadmium),  under 
certain  conditions,  will  keep  its  color  pretty  well, 
both  in  oil  and  water-color  when  employed  alone. 
When  used  in  oil  with  Zinc  White,  it  will  also  re- 
main unchanged  for  years,  but  the  white  must  be 
perfectly  free  from  adulteration  with  lead,  or  a 
change  may  set  in  at  once.  Lemon  Cadmium  may 
be  used  with  Chinese  White  in  water-color  painting, 
and  when  protected  by  glass  from  foul  air  and  from 
sunlight,  it  will  last  a long  time  unchanged. 

Chrome  Yellow  and  Orange,  are  both  chromates  of 
lead.  When  carefully  prepared  and  mixed  with  oil, 
these  pigments  will  remain  unadulterated  for  at  least 
a quarter  of  a century.  With  white  lead  they  go 
vrell  into  tints,  and  there  is  no  antagonism  between 
these  colors.  When,  however,  the  chromates  of  lead 
are  employed,  they  should  be  used  as  simply  as  pos- 
sible. 

Citron  Yellow,  known  also  as  Zinc  Yellow,  both 
deep  and  pale,  may  be  called  chromates  of  zinc. 
Landscape  painters  are  in  the  habit  of  using  it  much, 
as  it  combines  well  with  Green  Oxide  of  Chromium 
and  other  greens.  It  is  also  useful  when  imitating 
the  yellow  parts  of  foilage,  grass,  etc.  By  chemists 
it  is  not  looked  upon  as  a good  color.  It  is  so  com- 
paratively new  that  painters  are  not  yet  fully  ac- 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


31 


quainted  with  its  habits.  Deep  Zinc  Yellow  is,  how- 
ever, much  more  fugitive  than  the  pale  kind,  as  it 
will  frequently  change  in  a few  days. 

Gamboge,  is  a gum  brought  from  the  East,  and 
was  long  used  as  a water-color  pigment,  before  it 
found  a place  amongst  oil  colors.  It  is  fairly  stable 
in  water,  and  does  not  injure  other  colors. 

REDS. 

Lakes  from  Cochineal.  In  consequence  of  the 
richness  and  beauty  of  these  lakes,  painters  are  ever 
indulgingin  their  use.  When  employed  in  water- 
color  and  excluded  from  light,  the  best  preparations, 
such  as  Carmine  and  Crimson  Lake,  will  last  half  a 
century  without  much  visible  alteration.  In  oil 
painting,  when  Crimson  Lake  is  used  alone,  at  a 
thickish  glaze,  and  kept  from  strong  light,  it  will 
not  rapidly  change.  But  if  combined  with  white 
lead,  its  color  goes  immediately.  The  pigment  is 
obtained  from  an  insect,  found  in  great  abundance 
on  a cactus  plant  in  Mexico. 

Scarlet  Lake  has  much  of  the  quality  of  Crimson 
Lake,  and  its  permanence  is  affected  by  the  same 
causes  as  those  which  interfere  with  other  lakes  of 
this  kind,  being  also  prepared  from  cochineal.  Its 
color  can  be  very  well  imitated  by  Rose  Madder  and 
a little  Orange  Cadmium,  or  Aureolin,  all  of  which 
are  stable. 

Purple  Lake , being  also  a cochineal  preparation,  is 
not  more  permanent  than  the  two  lakes  already  men- 
tioned. This  color  is  certainly  very  beautiful,  but 
when  it  can  be  so  nearly  matched  by  the  madders, 
and  additions  either  of  pure,  or  Factitious  Ultra- 
marine,  it  should  not  be  used. 


32 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


Florentine  and  Hamburgh  Lakes  are  of  the  same 
character  as  those  already  described,  and  may  not  be 
looked  on  as  stable  pigments. 

Indian  Lake  appears  to  be  made  from  a product, 
both  animal  and  vegetable,  which  is  brought  from 
the  East.  The  color  is  rich,  deep,  and  inclined  to 
purple.  It  is  said  to  be  more  durable  than  the 
cochineal  lakes.  At  the  same  time,  it  must  be  re- 
garded as  amongst  the  semi-permanent  pigments. 

Kermes  Lake  is  thought  by  some  to  be  the  earliest 
lake  used  by  the  ancient  Italian  and  German  masters. 
No  doubt  it  found  its  way  to  Venice  early,  and  was 
used  by  Tintoretto,  Paolo  Veronese,  Titian,  and 
others.  In  pictures  by  these  masters,  we  find  colors 
nearly  resembling  Kermes  Lake;  nevertheless,  they 
appear  to  have  undergone  change. 

BLUES. 

Smalt , is  a blue  glass  colored  by  cobalt,  and  re- 
duced  to  an  impalpable  powder.  Although  this 
preparation  will  stand  a high  degree  of  heat  for 
weeks  together,  it  is  not  permanent  as  an  oil  color. 
It  is  used  in  enamel  painting. 

Another  Cobalt  Blue , of  the  like  nature  and  tint 
as  the  above,  is  prepared  from  the  black  oxide  of 
cobalt,  ground  flint  (silica),  and  a carbonate  of  tin, 
exposed  to  great  heat  for  some  days.  This  prepara- 
tion is  denser  than  Smalt,  but  its  stability  is  nearly 
as  doubtful. 

Prussian  Blue  is  prepared  from  iron.  It  is  a very 
fascinating  color,  whether  used  as  a glaze,  or  in  com- 
bination with  other  colors.  Most  painters,  both  in 
oil  and.  water-color,  are  in  the  habit  of  using  it,  but 
it  is  not  durable.  In  water-color,  when  exposed  to 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


33 


full  light,  the  richness  of  its  hue  soon  fades.  The 
works  by  the  early  water-color  p tinkers  of  this  coun- 
try bear  sad  testimony  to  this  fact.  The  faded  condi- 
tion of  some  of  the  works  by  Copley  Fielding, Varley, 
Girtin,  Prout,  Cox,  Turner  and  others,  is  chiefly  the 
result  of  the  use  of  Indigo  and  Prussian  Bine. 

Antwerp  Blue  is  of  the  character  of  Prussian  Blue, 
a little  brighter,  and  not  having  so  much  body.  It 
is  not  so  stable  as  Prussian  Blue. 

Cyanine  Blue  is  a compound  of  Cobalt  and  Prus- 
sian Blue.  It  is  a very  deep  and  agreeable  color,  but 
scarcely  m<  re  permanent  than  cither  Antwerp  or 
Prussian  Blue,  what  there  is  of  Cobalt  Blue  in  the 
compound,  being  permanent,  and  the  rest  is  semi- 
fugitive. 

Indigo  Blue  is  an  ancient  preparation,  and  a vege- 
table product.  On  the  whole,  it  is  less  durable  than 
Prussian  Blue.  It  is,  nevertheless,  much  recom- 
mended and  employed  by  artists,  more  especially 
water-color  painters,  who  make  use  of  it  in  clouds 
and  distances.  The  skies  and  clouds  in  some  of  the 
works  of  Copley  Fielding,  and  other  painters  of  his 
time,  are  evidences  of  the  fleeting  character  of  Indi- 
go Blue,  when  thus  employed.  There  is  little  left  in 
the  works  referred  to,  but  drab  masses  of  cloud 
forms,  the  blue  tints  having  departed  altogether. 

GREEKS. 

Veronese  Green.  By  some  chemists  this  pigment  is 
pronounced  permanent.  The  writer  has  found  it  to  be 
otherwise.  If  carefully  prepared,  and  when  used 
alone,  it  may  be  stable;  but  as  it  contains  ingredients 
which  attack  other  colors  when  combined  with  it,  it 
is  rendered,  on  the  whole,  less  eligible  than  Yiridian. 


34 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


Emerald  Green  is  a preparation  of  copper,  very 
bright,  and  in  color  much  unlike  all  other  greens. 
There  is  hardly  anything  in  nature  resembling  it; 
employed  pure,  it  will  last  a long  time,  but  mixed 
with  other  colors,  it  soon  changes. 

BROWNS. 

Brown  Pink  is  a color  much  used  by  water- color 
painters.  It  is  a vegetable  production,  and  may  be 
looked  upon  as  a lake.  Its  color  being  of  a rich  yel- 
low-brown, produces  either  with  Prussian  or  Indigo 
Blue,  fine  greens.  Brown  Pink  fades  in  a few  years, 
leaving  the  greens,  of  which  it  at  first  formed  a part, 
of  a cold  and  unnatural  color.  It  should  therefore 
be  used  as  little  as  possible.  In  oil-painting  it  should 
never  be  employed. 

Sepias,  both  warm  and  cold,  are  produced  from 
the  cuttle-fish,  and  are  very  pleasant  working  colors 
in  water,  but  fleeting. 

It  has  already  been  remarked  that  Emerald  G-ieen, 
when  well  prepared  and  used  alone,  will  remain  un- 
changed for  a long  time.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the 
two  chromates  of  lead,  yellow  and  orange.  But  to  en- 
sure such  permanence,  it  is  better  that  these  prepara- 
tions be  mixed  with  Copal  varnish  before  they  are  em- 
ployed. These  coiors  snould  also  be  further  protected 
by  a thin  covering  of  Copal  varnish  after  they  are  dry. 

The  author  has  used  Orange  Chrome  in  the  pre- 
paration cf  enamel  colors;  and  it  will  bear  a full  red 
heat  for  many  hours,  in  the  presence  of  a vitreous 
flux,  without  undergoing  any  change,  beyond  the 
deepening  of  the  color.  This  is,  however,  no  test  as 
to  the  permanence  of  Orange  Chrome,  when  used 
either  in  oil  or  water-color. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


35 


The  following  is  a summary,  giving  the  lists  of 
Permanent,  Semi-permanent,  and  Fugitive  colors. 

These  are  divided  from  each  other,  so  that  the 
painter  on  looking  down  them,  may  at  once  ascer- 
tain the  character  of  any  pigment  on  which  he  may 
desire  information. 

A LIST  OF  PERMANENT  COLORS, 

WHICH  MAY  BE  USED  EITHER  SEPARATELY,  OR  IN 
COMBINATION  WITH  EACH  OTHER. 

These  colors  are  as  stable  for  water-color  painting 
as  for  oil,  with  the  exception  of  Flake  White  (white 
lead).  Chinese,  or  Zinc  white,  should  always  be 
used  in  water-color  painting. 

Whites — Chinese  White,  Zinc  White,  Flake  White 
(white  lead). 

Yellow  and  Orange  Hues— Aureolin,  Lemon 
Yellow,  Yellow  Madder,  Yellow  Ochre,  Transparent 
Gold  Ochre,  Raw  Sienna,  Burnt  Sienna,  The  Orange 
Cadmiums,  Orange  Vermilion,  Naples  Yellow,  Field’s 
Orange  Vermilion. 

Reds. — Chinese  Vermilion,  Vermilion,  Scarlet 
Vermilion,  Extract  of  Vermilion,  Venetian  Red, 
Light  Red,  Red  Ochre,  Indian  Red,  Madder  Car- 
mine, Rose  Madder,  Pink  Madder. 

Blues. — Genuine  Ultramarine,  Factitious  Ultra- 
marine,  French  Ultramarine,  Cobalt,  Cerulean. 

Greens. — Transparent  Green  Oxide  of  Chromium, 
Opaque  Green  Oxide  of  Chromium,  Viridian,  Terre 
Verte. 

Purples. — Purple  Madder,  Gold  Purple  Cassius, 
Rubens  Madder. 

Browns. — Vandyke  Brown,  Raw  Umber,  Burnt 
Umber,  Brown  Madder,  Rubens  Brown, 


36 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


Gray. — Ultramarine  Ash. 

Blacks. — Blue  Black,  Ivory  Black. 


A LIST  OF  PERMANENT  COLORS. 

FOR  THE  MOST  PART  UNNECESSARY. 

Whites. — Blanc  d’Argent,  or  Silver  White;  Lon- 
don and  Nottingham  White. 

Yellow  Ochres. — Roman  Ochre,  Brown  Ochre, 
Oxford  Ochre,  Stone  Ochre,  Di  Palito,  or  Light 
Yellow  Ochre. 

Red. — Cadmium  Red. 

Blues.— New  Blue,  Blue  Ochre. 

Greens. — Scheele’s  Green,  Cobalt  Green,  Olive 
Oxide  of  Chromium,  Olive. 

Purples. — Mars  Violet,  Cobalt  Purple. 

Browns. — Mars  Brown,  Mixed  Citrine,  Bister, 
Bone  Brown,  Caledonian  Brown,  Cappah  Brown, 
Chalons  Brown,  Cologne  Earth,  Verona  Brown, 
Uranium  Brown,  Manganese  Brown. 

Greys. — Mineral  Grey,  Mixed  Grey,  Neutral 
Grey. 

Blacks. — Lamp  Black,  Mixed  Black,  Black  Ochre, 
Bone  Black,  Frankfort  Black,  Manganese  Black, 
Mineral  Black,  Purple  Black,  Spanish  Black,  Black 
Lead. 


A LIST  OF  COLORS  OF  THE  SECOND  ORDER 
OF  PERMANENCE. 

Most  of  these  colors  change  when  used  alone.  All 
of  them  change  when  combined  with  each  other. 

Whites. — Cremnitz  White  (Vienna  White), 
Cadmium  White. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS.  37 

Yellows. — Lemon  Cadmium,  Chrome  Yellow, 
Citron  Yellow  (Zinc  Yellow),  Gamboge, 

Reds. — Carmine,  Crimson  Lake,  Scarlet  Lake, 
Purple  Lake,  Indian  Lake,  Florentine  and  Hamburgh 
Lakes,  Kermes  Lake. 

Blues. — Smalt,  Prussian  Blue,  Antwerp  Blue, 
Cyanine  Blue,  Indigo  Blue. 

Greens. — Veronese  Green,  Emerald  Green. 
Browns. — Brown  Pink,  The  Sepias. 


FUGITIVE  COLORS. 

The  following  is  a list  of  those  colors  which  are  so 
fugitive  or  unfit  for  painting  purposes  that  they 
should  never  be  used.  If  color-makers  would  cease 
from  manufacturing  them,  it  would  be  of  the  great- 
est importance  to  art. 

Whites. — Flemish  White,  or  Sulphate  of  Lead; 
Patterson’s  White,  or  Oxychloride  of  Lead;  Pearl 
White,  or  Nitrate  of  Bismuth. 

Yellows. — Cologne  Yellow, or  Chromate  and  Sul- 
phate of  Lead,  with  Sulphate  of  Lime;  Jaune  Min- 
eral, or  Chromate  of  Lead,  Gallstone,  Indian  Yellow, 
or  Urio-phosphate  o**  Lime;  Yellow  Lake,  a vegetable 
production;  Italian  Pink,  called  sometimes  Dutch 
and  English  Pink,  a vegetable  product;  Quercitron 
Lake,  a vegetable  production;  Orpiment,  sometimes 
called  Chinese  or  King’s  Yellow,  or  Sulphurate  of 
Arsenic;  Strontian  Yellow,  a metallic  preparation; 
Arsenic  Yellow,  prepared  from  arsenic;  Bismuth 
Yellow,  or  Chromate  Bismuth;  Copper  Yellow,  pre^- 
pared  from  copper;  Gelbin’s  Yellow,  or  Chromate  of 
Lime;  Indium  Yellow,  prepared  from  the  metal 
indium;  Iodine  Yellow,  or  Iodide  of  Lead;  Iron  Yel- 


38 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


low,  a protoxide  of  iron;  Massicot  Yellow  or  Orange, 
a preparation  of  lead;  Patent  Yellow,  a preparation 
of  lead;  Platinum  Yellow,  prepared  from  the  metal 
platinum;  Thallium  Yellow,  prepared  from  the  metal 
thallium;  Thwaite’s  Yellow,  a chromate  of  cadmium; 
Turbith  Mineral,  or  Queen’s  Yellow,  a sulphate  of 
mercury;  Uranium  Yellow,  from  the  metal  uranium; 
Yellow  Carmine,  Orient  Yellow. 

Beds.— Carmine,  a preparation  from  cochineal, 
semi-permanent  in  water-color  and  fugitive  in  oil; 
Dragon’s  Blood,  prepared  from  a resin  brought  from 
the  East;  Bed  Chrome,  a chromate  of  lead;  Bed 
Lead,  an  oxide  of  lead;  Antimony  Bed,  prepared  from 
antimony;  Chica  Bed,  a vegetable  production;  Cobalt 
Bed,  from  cobalt;  Copper  Bed,  from  copper;  Ferrate 
of  Baryta  Bed,  from  baryta;  Iodine  Pink,  procured 
from  iodine  and  mercury;  Lawson’s  Bed;  Manganese 
Bed,  from  the  metal  manganese;  Bed  Chalk;  Bed 
Precipitate  of  Mercury;  Bose  Pink,  from  Brazil 
wood;  Silver  Bed,  a preparation  from  silver;  Thallium 
Bed,  from  the  metal  thallium;  Ultramarine  Bed; 
Uranium  Bed. 

Blues. — Blue  Carmine.  It  is  an  oxide  of 
molybd  num;  Bice,  prepared  from  copper;  Blue 
Ashes,  prepared  from  copper;  Blue  Verditer,  prepar- 
ed from  copper;  Egyptian  Blue,  prepared  from  cop- 
per; Saunders  Blue,  prepared  from  copper;  Schwein- 
furt  Blue,  prepared  from  copper;  Iodine  Blue;  Iridium 
Blue;  Manganese  Blue;  Platinum  Blue;  Tungsten 
Blue. 

Oranges. — Mixed  Orange;  Anotta,  a vegetable 
production;  Antimony  Orange;  Chromate  of  Mer- 
cury; Damonico,  prepared  from  iron;  Gamboge 
Orange,  a gum;  Madder  Orange;  Orange  Lead; 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


39 


Orange  Orpiment,  a preparation  of  arsenic;  Thallium 
Orange;  Uranium  Orange;  Zinc  Orange. 

Greens. — Malachite  Green,  a preparation  of  cop- 
per; Verdigris  Green,  a preparation  of  copper;  Mixed 
Green;  Chrome  Green,  chromate  of  lead,  with  Prus- 
sian blue;  Hooker’s  Green,  gamboge-  and  Prussian 
blue;  Sap  Green,  a vegetable  product;  Chrome  Ai- 
seniate,  from  arseniate  of  potash  and  chromic  oxide; 
Copper  Borate,  from  copper;  Green  Bice,  from  cop- 
per; Green  Ultramarine,  prepared  from  French  Ul- 
tramarine; Mineral  Green,  lead  and  copper;  Uranium 
Green;  Titianium  Green. 

Purples. — Violet  Carmine,  vegetable;  Orchil  Pur- 
ple, vegetable;  Bismuth  Purple;  Cobalt  Purple;  Prus- 
sian Purple,  prussiate  of  iron;  Sandal  Wood  Purple, 
vegetable;  Tin  Violet. 

Olives. — Mixed  Olive;  Olive  Green,  a mixed 
green;  Olive  Lake,  vegetable;  Burnt  Verdigris. 

Browns. — Asphaltum,  mineral  pitch;  Mummy, 
mineral  and  animal;  Prussian  Brown,  from  Prussian 
Blue;  Bitumen,  mineral  pitch;  Cadmium  Brown; 
Chrome  Browns;  Copper  Browns;  French  Prussian 
Brown,  from  Prussian  Blue. 

Marones. — Mixed  Marone;  Chica  Marone,  veget- 
able; Chocolate,  lead  and  copper;  Cobalt  Marone. 

There  are  other  preparations,  which  have  not  been 
added  to  this  list,  as  they  are  alike  unworthy  of  the 
painter’s  consideration. 

Both  Strontian  and  Orient  Yellows  have  been 
much  employed  by  painters  of  late  years;  and  al- 
though they  have  hitherto  been  looked  upon  as  per- 
manent, a little  experience  with  these  colors  will  soon 
indicate  that  they  are  not  so. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


40 

VEHICLES  OR  MEDIUMS. 

THEIR  USE  IN  COMBINATION  WITH  COLORS. 

The  mediums  necessary  to  convey  colors  to  can- 
vas, ought  to  have  the  serious  consideration  of  every 
painter.  Various  kinds  of  vehicles  have  always  been 
used  for  this  purpose.  A few  of  them,  no  doubt, 
have  conduced  to  the  permanence  of  the  works  in 
which  they  have  been  employed,  while  others  have 
facilitated  their  destruction. 

V ehicles  have  two  functions.  First,  they  are  mixed 
with  some  colors  to  give  them  a drying  property. 
Second,  they  are  used  to  thin  transparent  colors,  in 
order  to  make  them  fit  for  glazing  purposes.  They 
were  also  employed  by  the  early  painters  in  oil  in 
combination  with  all  opaque  colors. 

Mediums  composed  of  drying  oil  and  Mastic  var- 
nish have  been  used  too  freely  by  the  English  school 
of  painters.  On  the  other  hand,  the  French  painters 
for  the  most  part  eschew  vehicles  altogether.  Indeed, 
they  go  to  the  other  extreme  by  employing  colors  as 
free  from  oil  or  medium  as  possible. 

Very  little  medium  should  be  used  to  thin  a light 
color  with,  when  it  is  intended  for  solid  painting. 

All  mediums  become  horny  in  time,  when  too 
much  is  used,  and  this  change  is  more  visible  in  light 
colors  than  in  dark  ones. 

Should  a color  be  found  inconveniently  thick  for 
work,  which  is  often  the  case,  it  can  be  made  thinner 
by  the  addition  of  a little  raw  linseed  or  nut  oil. 

In  the  works  of  the  Dutch  and  Flemish  schools  we 
have  excellent  evidence  of  the  proper  use  of  mediums, 
and,  to  a great  extent,  the  preservation  of  these 
works  is  due  to  the  judicious  use  of  them. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


41 


Every  painter,  after  a few  years’  practice  in  his 
art,  usually  selects  that  particular  medium  or  vehicle, 
to  mix  with  his  colors,  which  has  chanced  to  have 
found  most  favor  with  him.  He  is  sometimes  so  un- 
duly warped  to  its  imaginary  merits,  that  he  is  in- 
duced to  condemn  all  others.  The  student  is  often 
bewildered,  and  in  the  utmost  uncertainty  as  to  what 
medium  he  ought  to  adopt.  Amongst  the  many  ad- 
visers which  he  often  finds,  and  from  his  own  want 
of  knowledge  on  the  point,  he  not  unfrequently 
selects  one,  the  least  eligible  for  his  purpose. 

Sugar  or  acetate  of  lead,  sulphate  of  zinc,  gum 
mastic,  plaster  of  Paris,  boiled  oil,  maguilps,  etc., 
etc.,  are’all  used  as  dryers,  all  of  which  are  quite  un- 
necessary, and  what  is  more,  most  of  these  substances 
seriously  interfere  with  the  permanence  of  any  work 
in  which  they  may  be  present. 

In  warm  weather  pure  raw  linseed  or  nut  oil  is 
generally  sufficient  for  mixing  with  all  opaque  colors 
to  give  them  a drying  quality.  When  transparent 
colors  are  used,  and  more  especially  when  glazing 
with  them  is  desirable,  good  Copal  or  Amber  varnish, 
to  which  a little  raw  linseed  oil  has  been  added,  is  all 
that  is  necessary  to  mix  with  them. 

Time  has  proved  these  ingredients  to  be  more  per- 
manent than  anything  else.  Should  this  medium  be 
found  inconvenient  to  work  with  at  first,  practice 
will  soon  overcome  the  difficulty. 

When  the  madders  are  used,  a little  Copal  and 
Amber  varnish  alone,  may  be  mixed  with  them  to 
make  them  dry. 

The  author  has  gone  very  carefully  over  the  evi- 
dence furnished  by  ancient  writers  on  art,  as  well  as 
the  experiments  detailed  by  modern  chemists,  refer- 


i 


42 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS.. 


ring  to  the  materials  used  as  mediums  for  painting 
in  oil  in  the  fourteenth  century. 

The  only  conclusion  at  which  he  has  been  able  to 
arrive  in  connection  with  his  own  practice  is,  that 
gum  Copal  and  Amber,  in  combination  with  nut  or 
linseed  oil,  were  the  chief  ingredients  employed  to 
give  to  colors  the  consistency  necessary  for  the 
painter’s  work.  This  preparation  was  subsequently 
employed,  to  cover  pictures  with  when  finished. 

The  early  works  in  distemper,  produced  prior  to 
the  discovery  of  oil-painting  in  the  fourteenth  cen- 
tury, received  a coat  of  varnish,  mainly  for  protection, 
as  soon  as  they  were  finished,  and  which  varnish  has 
been  pronounced  after  analysis  to  consist  for  the  most 
part  of  Copal  and  Amber. 

It  is  easy  to  suppose  that  in  a short  time  after  the 
period  referred  to,  this  preparation  would  naturally 
suggest  itself  as  being  suited  for  mixing  directly  with 
the  colors  themselves,  in  place  of  the  distemper  or 
glue  size,  which  up  to  that  time  had  been  in  use, 
and  which  had  been  attended  with  so  much  incon- 
venience. 

The  fact  of  Copal  and  Amber  varnish  having  been 
used  by  the  earlier  painters  in  distemper,  to  cover 
their  works  in  the  manner  alluded  to,  it  was  only 
necessary  to  move  one  step  further  to  arrive  at  the 
discovery  of  oil-painting.  This  was  done  by  adding 
such  an  oil  to  the  too  quickly  drying  varnish,  as  would 
sufficiently  retard  its  siccative  qualities,  and  make  it 
more  manageable  when  combined  with  the  colors.  It 
appears  certain  that  either  nut  or  linseed  oil,  or  per- 
haps both,  were  used  for  the  purpose  referred  to. 

By  mixing  this  medium  directly  with  the  colors, 
before  they  were  applied  to  the  panel,  it  would  give 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


43 


to  them  that  consistency  and  readiness  for  use,  as 
compared  with  the  earlier  process  that  would  soon 
revolutionize  the  pictorial  arts  of  that  period,  and 
which,  as  we  know,  actually  did  take  place. 

This  was  really  the  nature  of  the  discovery  in  oil- 
painting,  made  by  the  early  Flemish  painters,  and 
for  which  J.  Van  Eyck  and  his  brother  have  obtain- 
ed the  credit. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  whole  of  the  me- 
guilps  are  of  comparatively  modern  introduction  in 
oil-painting.  Doubtless  they  assist  colors  to  work 
pleasantly,  more  especially  in  the  process  of  glazing. 
It  is  also  a fact  that  the  indiscreet  use  of  them  has 
contributed  greatly  to  the  ruin  of  many  fine  works. 
Numerous  recipes  have  been  handed  down  to  us  from 
the  time  Van  Eyck,  for  the  composition  of  vehicles 
for  oil-painting.  After  they  have  all  been  duly  con- 
sidered, we  gather  that  the  three  best  contained 
resins,  Amber,  Copal,  and  Sandarac.  The  two  first 
were  dissolved  in  either  nut,  poppy,  or  linseed  oil; 
the  last  in  an  essential  oil  or  spirit,  and  all  were  used 
as  vehicles  with  the  whole  of  the  colors  employed. 
At  the  present  time  there  is  no  process  by  which 
Amber  varnish  can  be  made  suitable  for  light  colors, 
the  preparation  being  always  very  dark,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  great  heat  to  which  the  amber  and  oil 
have  to  be  subjected,  in  order  to  liquify  the  amber. 
Therefore,  whenever  pure  Amber  varnish  was  used 
by  the  earliest  oil-painters,  it  could  only  have  been 
with  the  darkest  colors. 

It  has  been  thought  by  some  that  a process  of 
bleaching  Amber  varnish  has  been  lost,  and  that 
another  process  could  not  be  discovered.  But  as  all 
varnish  preparations  were  made  in  the  house  of  the 


44: 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


painter,  with  the  simplest  means  at  his  command, 
it  is  difficult  to  suppose  that  modern  chemistry  could 
not  supply  all  that  the  painter  of  former  times  could 
accomplish  in  this  direction. 

It  is  most  probable,  as  we  have  inferred,  that 
Copal  was  used  in  the  earliest  oil  pictures,  and  it  is 
reasonable  to  assume  that  it  was  mixed  with  the 
lighter  colors,  instead  of  Amber,  or  perhaps  in  com- 
bination with  it. 

Copal  is  soluble  in  linseed  or  nut  oil  at  a much 
lower  heat  than  amber,  and  the  varnish  produced  by 
these  ingredients  is  of  a paler  color  than  Amber  var- 
nish. This  peculiarity  fits  Copal  varnish  for  mixing 
with  all  colors,  but  with  the  lighter  ones  more  especi- 
ally. In  some  respects  Sandarac  resembles  Copal, 
but  it  is  unlikely  that  it  was  much  used,  as  it  would 
not  work  in  so  friendly  a manner  with  the  oil  colors 
as  the  two  others  resins  would  do. 

Amber  has  been  found  in  combination  with  some 
of  the  colors  in  the  works  of  the  early  Flemish 
school,  but  we  have  no  evidence  that  it  was  not  al- 
ways mixed  with  some  of  the  lighter  colored  var- 
nishes, such  as  Copal,  already  referred  to,  and  which 
in  all  probability  was  the  case.  It  is  also  most  likely 
that  both  Copal  and  Amber  varnish  were  always  em- 
ployed by  the  earliest  Flemish  painters,  and  in  com- 
bination with  either  nut  or  linseed  oil,  and  that  they 
were  mixed  with  all  their  colors  as  a vehicle,  before 
they  were  applied  to  the  panel.  Moreover,  it  is  also 
very  probable  that  such  vehicles  have  conduced  to 
that  permanence  in  these  early  works,  which  now 
distinguishes  them  from  all  others.  Should  this  as- 
sumption be  correct — and  it  appears  to  be  so — it 
furnishes  a substantial  reason  why  we  ought  to  adopt 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


45 


Copal  and  Amber  varnish  with  the  addition  of  oil,  as 
a vehicle  for  all  oil  pictures  now  executed,  and  aban- 
don the  use  of  meguilps  altogether.  One  point, 
however,  must  be  insisted  on,  and  it  is,  that  the 
Copal  and  Amber  varnish  be  prepared  from  resins  of 
the  best  quality,  and  quite  free  from  adulteration. 
These  resins  carefully  dissolved  according  to  one  of 
the  ancient  processes  which  have  been  handed  down 
to  us,  would  form  the  best  preparation  for  pictures. 
Combined  with  linseed  oil,  they  would  give  a medium 
resembling  as  nearly  as  possible  that  of  the  early 
painters,  and  this,  if  discreetly  employed,  would  have 
an  enormous  influence  in  making  modern  oil  pictures 
more  permanent  than  they  are  at  present. 

A work  painted  with  the  vehicle  alluded  to,  when 
dry,  might  receive  a thin  coat  of  Mastic  varnish,  for 
its  further  protection.  In  the  course  of  time,  and 
when  it  was  felt  desirable  to  remove  this  covering,  it 
could  be  done  without  risk  to  the  painting.  The 
Copal  and  Amber  varnish  with  which  the  work  was 
originally  painted,  would  resist  the  action  of  turpen- 
tine and  alcohol,  which  are  the  solvents  usually  em- 
ployed to  remove  old  Mastic  varnish  from  pictures  in 
the  process  of  cleaning. 

The  use  of  mastic  mediums  during  the  last  hun- 
dred years,  has  been  amongst  the  chief  causes  of  de- 
terioration in  the  oil  pictures  produced.  When 
mastic  is  combined  with  boiled  linseed  oil  it  forms 
the  vehicle  known  as  meguilp,  and  which  has  been 
so  much  employed  in  more  modern  times.  The  co- 
agulated substance,  which  the  mastic,  boiled  linseed 
oil  and  litharge,  form,  is  so  pleasant  to  work  with, 
that  it  has  allured  many  painters  to  the  most  indis- 
creet use  of  it. 


46 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


When  employed  in  glazing  it  often  becomes  great- 
ly discolored.  Whenever  the  varnish  of  a picture  is 
required  to  be  removed,  where  Mastic  meguilp  has 
been  freely  used,  the  work  is  in  great  danger.  The 
solvents  which  are  employed  to  remove  the  varnish, 
also  attack  this  meguilp,  and  many  fine  works  have 
been  ruined  in  consequence  of  this. 

TURPENTINE. 

It  is  not  generally  known  that  the  use  of  turpen- 
tine with  colors,  is  in  many  instances  detrimental  to 
their  permanence.  The  mixing  of  turpentine  with 
colors  when  painting,  explains  much  of  the  change 
which  we  often  see  take  place  in  a day  or  two  after 
they  have  been  applied  to  the  canvas.  This  some- 
times arises  from  the  impurity  of  the  spirit,  or  from 
some  material  of  a caustic  nature,  being  mixed  with 
it  to  clarify  it.  But  oftener  it  is  the  result  of  the 
immediate  contact  of  one  color  with  another,  which 
the  use  of  turpentine  favors.  Many  colors  are  chem- 
ically antagonistic  to  each  other  even  when  carefully 
manufactured.  Mixing  them  with  turpentine  brings 
them  into  contact  so  closely  that  they  begin  to  act  on 
one  another  immediately  they  come  together,  when  a 
visible  change  soon  ensues. 

Flake  White  and  Rose  Madder,  mixed  together 
with  turpentine,  or  with  any  medium  in  which  it  is 
present,  will  sometimes  change  in  twelve  hours. 
Should  the  Rose  Madder  have  been  adulterated  with 
Cochineal  Lake,  a very  marked  change  will  take 
place  in  a few  hours,  and  more  especially  in  the 
presence  of  white  lead. 

The  use  of  turpentine  with  colors  also  assists  in 
producing  fissures  in  a work,  In  evaporation  it 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


4:7 


carries  off  with  it  some  of  the  oil  with  which  the  colors 
are  mixed.  They  are  then  left  without  sufficient 
elasticity,  and  in  drying  they  contract,  and  the  nu- 
merous small  fissures  which  we  so  frequently  find  in 
newly  painted  pictures  are  much  due  to  this  cause. 

OIL  OF  SPIKE  LA  VENDER. 

The  frequent  reference  to  Oil  of  Lavender,  which 
has  been  made  by  the  writers  on  art  of  the  fourteenth 
and  fifteenth  centuries,  in  their  recipes  for  varnishes 
and  vehicles  for  painting  in  oil,  shows  that  it  was 
often  used  amongst  the  painters  of  that  period. 

The  early  painters  of  Bruges  in  all  probability  used 
Oil  of  Spike  Lavender,  either  instead  of  turpentine 
or  in  combination  with  it. 

It  has  been  pointed  out  that  much  of  the  turpen- 
tine now  sold  is  detrimental  to  the  stability  of  colors 
when  mixed  with  them.  If  its  use  were  to  be  re- 
placed by  the  essential  Oil  of  Lavender  no  change* 
need  be  feared;  and  it  would  serve  to  thin  colors  and 
vehicles,  quite  as  well  as  turpentine. 

It  appears  therefore  desirable  that  the  essential  Oil 
of  Lavender  should  take  the  place  of  turpentine  on 
the  palette,  in  readiness  to  combine  with  colors  as 
well  as  to  thin  the  Amber  and  Copal  medium  when 
too  thick  for  use. 

PREPARATION  OF  COLORS,  MATERIALS,  ETC. 

The  conditions  under  which  a painter  commenced 
his  education  in  former  times,  were  totally  different 
from  what  they  are  now.  In  the  early  days  of  art 
there  were  no  artists’  color  men,  as  at  present,  to 
provide  materials.  There  was  much  work  to  be  done 


48 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


outside*the  actual  pursuit  of  painting.  The  difficul- 
ties and  inconveniencies  of  preparing  canvases  and 
panels,  and  the  manufacturing  of  brushes,  colors  and 
vehicles,  had  frequently  to  be  overcome  in  the  studio 
of  the  painter.  These  were  impediments  in  the  way 
to  the  actual  pursuit  of  painting,  but  they  appear  to 
have  had  the  good  effect  of  sharpening  the  appetite 
of  the  real  student,  making  him  doubly  eager  to  fol- 
low the  more  pleasant  part  of  his  occupation,  when 
the  time  arrived  for  him  to  do  so. 

Of  necessity,  then,  the  early  painters  had  to  pre- 
pare, or  have  prepared  under  their  own  eyes,  the 
materials  necessary  for  their  work.  To  learn  the  art 
of  painting,  years  of  apprenticeship  had  to  be  served 
in  the  painter’s  atelier. 

The  time  of  the  student  was  at  first  chiefly  occu- 
pied in  the  preparation  of  materials  for  the  use  of  his 
master  and  the  advanced  pupils.  With  knowledge 
acquired  in  this  way,  it  can  be  readily  understood 
why  it  is  that  the  paintings  by  the  old  masters  are  in 
such  good  preservation,  as  compared  with  those  of 
modern  times. 

Pictures  ought  to  be  produced  with,  that  care  as 
to  the  materials  employed,  so  as  to  escape  as  much 
as  possible  those  forms  of  change  or  decay  to  which 
they  are  usually  subject  after  they  leave  the  studio. 
If  only  a year  or  two  is  sometimes  sufficient  to  dim 
the  brilliancy  of  works  even  by  our  best  painters, 
what  will  be  their  appearance  at  the  end  of  a couple 
of  centuries? 

This  is  not  enough  considered  in  these  days  by 
painters.  They  rely  too  much  on  the  colorman  to 
furnish  all  they  may  require,  and  scarcely  ever 
trouble  themselves  with  anything  of  the  kind,  be- 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


49 


yond  the  actual  production  of  the  work  they  may  be 
engaged  on. 

It  is  a very  remarkable  fact  that  those  pictures 
which  were  produced  about  the  year  1400,  when  oil 
painting  was  first  introduced,  and  when  the  process 
was  in  its  infancy,  are  in  a better  condition  than 
those  which  were  painted  centuries  afterwards. 

Some  of  the  works  by  Van  Eyck  and  his  brother, 
painted  about  this  time,  are  in  a wonderful  state  of 
preservation,  free  from  the  usual  evidences  of  decay, 
and  as  bright  and  clear  in  color  as  though  just 
painted. 

This  is  mainly  the  result  of  the  materials  having 
been  properly  selected,  and  carefully  prepared  and 
employed.  These  facts  greatly  concern  modern 
painters,  aud  should  be  matters  for  their  anxious 
consideration. 

MIXING,  AND  NATURE  OF  COLORS. 

- English  oil  colors  are  nearly  always  too  stiff  for  use 
when  first  squeezed  from  the  tube,  and  more  especial- 
ly Flake  White.  When  this  is  the  case  it  is  best  to 
begin  work  by  first  thinning  the  white  with  nut  or 
raw  linseed  oil,  good  nut  oil  is  the  best.  This  should 
be  done  whether  it  is  intended  to  mix  tints  or  not. 
All  other  colors,  when  too  thick,  must  be  thinned 
with  linseed  oil,  to  which  a little  Copal  and  Amber 
varnish  is  added;  and  in  winter  time  it  is  better  to 
mix  linseed  oil  with  Flake  White.  Nut  oil  is  not  so 
liable  to  turn  white  yellow,  as  linseed  oil  is.  It  has 
not  the  drying  quality  of  linseed  oil,  but  white  lead, 
being  a dryer  in  itself,  does  not  require  assistance  in 
summer-time. 


50 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


The  Madders,  Raw  Sienna,  and  some  of  the  dark- 
est colors,  should  be  mixed  with  a little  pure  Copal 
varnish,  as  these  pigments  will  not  dry  readily  with- 
out help. 

A little  observant  experience  will,  however,  soon 
suggest  what  colors  require  the  assistance  of  a dryer, 
before  application  to  the  canvas. 

Much  has  been  written  on  the  qualities  and  habits 
of  pigments  and  vehicles  intended  for  the  use  of  the 
painter,  and  it  would  almost  appear  that  he  need  not 
concern  himself  further  in  this  direction,  but  simply 
take  what  is  offered  by  the  colorman.  This  view  is 
incorrect,  for  during  the  whole  of  his  career  he  will 
be  annoyed  with  changes  of  one  kind  or  other  con- 
nected with  his  materials,  of  which  he  should  always 
try  to  ascertain  the  cause.  Indeed  the  permanence 
of  his  works  will  depend  on  this  kind  of  observation. 

In  saying  this,  it  is  not  intended  that  the  painter 
should  absorb  himself  too  much  in  experiments  with 
colors  and  vehicles,  for  this  would  be  loss  of  time. 
The  course  is  now  being  made  pretty  clear  of  impedi- 
ments, both  chemical  and  mechanical,  notwithstand- 
ing the  drawbacks  referred  to,  and  if  the  student  will 
make  himself  acquainted  with  what  has  already  been 
done  in  this  way,  he  need  not  trouble  himself  very 
much  further  about  these  matters. 

A long  list  of  colors,  now  manufactured,  ought 
never  to  have  had  the  least  consideration  of  the 
painter.  Their  beauty  nearly  always  fascinates  the 
inexperienced,  and  in  ignorance  they  are  employed 
indiscriminately. 

Pale  Cadmium,  which  is  so  tempting  a color,  and 
which  surpasses  every  other  yellow  in  beauty,  is  one 
of  the  most  fugitive  of  all  pigments.  It  is  not  only 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


51 


liable  to  change  in  itself,  but  it  affects  nearly  all 
colors  with  which  it  is  combined. 

With  Flake  White,  Lemon  Cadmium  will  some- 
times become  nearly  black  in  a day.  It  is  a chemical 
compound  of  the  metal  cadmium  with  sulphur,  and 
the  heat  employed  in  its  manufacture,  is  not  suffi- 
ciently great  to  ensure  permanence  of  color.  The  sul- 
phur being  imperfectly  united  with  the  cadmium,  it 
attacks  the  white  lead  with  which  it  is  mixed,  or 
rather  combines  with  it,  when  sulphide  of  lead  is 
formed,  which  is  of  a dark  color. 

Reference  is  made  to  this  pigment  in  particular,  as 
it  is  much  used  by  landscape  painters.  The  change 
in  the  greens  so  much  complained  of,  is  due  very 
often  to  the  employment  of  this  color.  It  should, 
therefore,  never  be  used  without  the  greatest 
caution. 

It  may  here  be  remarked  that  when  any  of  the 
cadmiums  are  used  to  form  tints,  it  is  always  safer  to 
mix  Zinc  White  with  them,  instead  of  Flake  White 
Although  those  bordering  on  orange  are  not  so 
liable  to  change  in  combination  with  white  lead, 
(Flake  White)  as  the  Yellow  Cadmium  is,  it  is  better 
not  to  bring  them  in  contact  with  pigments  which 
are  at  all  likely  to  affect  them,  or  be  affected  by  them. 

Cadmium  has  not  been  used  more  than  about 
forty-five  years,  and  we  are,  therefore,  only  imper- 
fectly acquainted  with  its  habits  as  compared  with 
our  knowledge  of  the  older  colors. 

Zinc  White  has  not  so  much  body  as  white  lead, 
but  its  enduring  qualities,  when  pure,  ought  to  re- 
commend it  to  the  painter’s  use.  It  is  not  affected 
by  other  colors,  neither  does  it  interfere  with  any 
pigments  when  properly  prepared. 


52 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


One  of  the  chief  causes  of  the  unstable  character 
of  modern  colors  may  be  attributable  to  insufficient 
washing,  and  too  speedy  preparation. 

Of  late  years  there  has  been  great  competition  in 
the  prices  of  colors,  oils  and  varnishes,  and  even  the 
best  colormen  have  felt  it  necessary  to  keep  pace 
with  it.  This  has  induced  quicker  methods  of  prep- 
aration, as  well  as  more  extensive  adulteration. 

If  a thoroughly  careful  and  conscientious  course 
were  to  be  observed,  it  would  be  of  the  greatest  ad- 
vantage to  art. 

Let  some  colorman  begin  anew,  by  taking  special 
care  that  all  the  materials  which  come  into  his  hands 
are  pure,  and  that  the  washing  and  grinding  of  cer- 
tain pigments  be  as  perfect  as  possible.  Let  him 
also  supply  only  those  colors  which  he  knows  to 
be  of  the  best  quality  and  permanent.  Or  if  he 
chooses  to  sell  those  which  are  only  semi-permanent, 
let  this  be  indicated  on  the  usual  label  attached  to 
the  tube  or  cake,  so  that  painters  may  be  made  aware 
with  what  they  have  to  deal. 

The  price  of  such  materials  might  be  raised  ac- 
cording to  the  extra  time  and  care  given  to  their 
preparation.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  any  color- 
man  who  would  take  the  matter  up  in  this  form, 
would  soon  have  the  best  part  of  the  business  to 
himself,  for  at  the  present  time  no  such  person 
exists.  The  formation  of  a body  or  society  for  the 
preparation  of  painters’  materials,  under  the  immedi- 
ate control  and  direction  of  painters  of  repute,  would 
doubtless  be  still  better. 

Cheapness,  or  rather  low  price,  should  be  the  last 
thing  an  artist  ought  to  think  of  in  relation  to  the 
cost  of  his  materials. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


53 


There  is  no  kind  of  manufacture  more  deserving 
of  consideration,  than  that  of  making  painters’  ma- 
terials, and  more  especially  that  relating  to  pig- 
ments. This  is  at  once  evident,  if  we  realize  that 
from  a few  tubes  of  color,  of  small  comparative  cost, 
a work  of  the  value  of  hundreds,  and  sometimes 
thousands  of  pounds,  is  often  produced.  When  it  is 
considered  that  the  permanent  or  fugitive  character 
of  such  works,  is  to  so  great  an  extent  in  the  hands 
of  colormen,  their  responsibility  is  certainly  very 
great. 

In  order  to  ascertain  if  colors  change,  and  how 
soon  such  changes  may  take  place,  the  painter  should 
try  experiments  for  himself.  Let  certain  pigments 
be  taken,  both  mixed  and  unmixed,  and  matched 
with  such  objects  as  may  be  in  his  possession  of 
permanent  colors,  as  glass,  enamel,  porcelain,  etc. 
These  colors  or  compound  hues  might  be  put  upon 
the  things  referred  to.  After  they  have  been  allowed 
to  remain  upon  them  for  a few  weeks,  any  change 
that  may  have  occurred  will  be  easily  seen. 

In  some  cases  the  painter  will  be  astonished  at  the 
rapidity  and  extent  of  the  alteration  in  these  trial 
colors,  and  by  this  experiment  he  will  be  able  to  as- 
certain very  distinctly  what  colors  to  employ,  and 
what  to  avoid. 

A pigment,  when  well  prepared,  may  be  quite  per- 
manent, but  careless  preparation,  adulteration,  or  in- 
sufficient washing,  will  not  only  render  it  fugitive, 
but  damaging  to  all  other  colors  which  come  in  con- 
tact with  it.  Take  Zinc  White,  which  has  been 
either  imperfectly  made  or  adulterated,  as  an  exam- 
ple of  instability,  but  which  is  permanent  when 
properly  made.  This  pigment  is  often  so  badly 


54 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


manufactured,  that  when  employed  at  all  thinly,  it 
flies  away  in  a few  weeks.  This  may  be  seen  by 
covering  over  with  it,  a chequered  or  figured  surface 
of  light  and  dark  colors,  or  dark  gray  and  white, 
making  the  darker  parts  almost  invisible  with  Zinc 
White.  In  a little  time  these  marks  will  begin  to  re- 
appear, through  the  white,  and  in  the  space  of  a 
month  or  two,  they  will  be  nearly  as  visible  as 
though  nothing  had  been  put  upon  them. 

Should  suspicion  be  entertained  of  the  permanence 
of  a color,  experiments  ought  to  be  made  with  it  at 
once,  in  order  to  ascertain  if  the  doubt  be  well 
founded.  A number  of  tints  with  the  suspected 
color  and  Flake  White,  should  be  mixed.  It  should 
also  be  compounded  with  other  colors,  which,  in  the 
painter’s  opinion,  have  been,  or  are  likely  to  be  af- 
fected by  it.  Patches  of  these  tints  and  hues  might 
then  be  put  on  a piece  of  mill-board  or  canvas  and 
hung  in  different  situations,  more  or  less  likely  to  af- 
fect colors  of  any  description.  Of  course  each  patch 
or  trial  of  color  should  be  numbered  and  the  same 
entered  in  a memorandum  book;  corresponding  with 
such  number,  the  colors  which  may  have  been  em- 
ployed to  form  the  tint  or  hue  should  be  named,  as 
well  as  the  vehicle  which  was  mixed  with  them, 
with  any  remark  that  the  painter  might  have  felt 
necessary  to  make  at  the  time. 

If  this  kind  of  experiment  were  to  be  followed  up 
for  a few  years  by  various  painters,  and  at  the  end  of 
that  time  they  compared  notes  with  each  other,  most 
valuable  information  would  be  obtained ; and  being 
put  on  record,  it  would  be  of  the  utmost  importance 
to  the  painter  and  his  art. 

The  painter  should  always  make  an  effort  to  use  as 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


55 


few  colors  as  possible,  and  they  should  be  of  the  most 
permanent  kind.  The  use  of  a limited  palette  with 
the  old  masters  was  a necessity,  and  this  explains,  to 
a great  extent,  the  good  condition  of  mar.y  of  their 
works  at  the  present  time.  It  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  many  colormen  manufacture  their  goods  to  sell, 
and  almost  irrespective  of  their  final  use  in  the  pro- 
duction of  costly  works  of  art.  The  most  fugitive 
colors  may  be  obtained  from  them,  as  well  as  the 
most  durable,  and  the  painter  who  is  uninformed  as 
to  the  nature  of  colors,  generally  employs  them  all 
indiscriminately,  and  of  course,  to  the  detriment  of 
his  work. 

Painters  often  attach  themselves  too  much  to  the 
use  of  some  special  color  for  certain  purposes.  This 
is  also  a mistake.  There  is  so  much  in  practice,  that 
if  the  painter  sees  the  true  color  of  the  object  he 
wishes  to  imitate,  and  is  acquainted  with  the  full 
power  of  his  palette,  he  will  not  find  it  necessary  to 
tie  himself  strictly  to  the  use  of  any  particular  color, 
so  long  as  others  at  his  command  are  not  fleeting. 

Some  color-makers  are  in  the  habit  of  mixing 
bright  and  cheap  colors  with  the  dull  ones,  such  as 
Yellow  Ochre,  Light,  Venetian  or  Indian  Bed,  Terre 
Verte,  etc.  The  purpose  is  to  make  them  attractive  to 
the  buyer.  Bright  colors  of  the  kind  alluded  to 
should  be  regarded  with  suspicion,  for  although  they 
may  produce  pleasing  results  at  the  time  they  are  used, 
in  all  probability  they  will  not  be  found  permanent. 

SUPERIORITY  OF  PANELS  TO  CANVAS. 

On  looking  through  the  works  of  different  schools, 
countries,  and  periods,  exhibited  last  winter  (1880)  at 
Burlington  House,  with  a view  to  examine  their 


56 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


various  states  of  preservation  or  decay,  no  one  can 
doubt  that  those  pictures  which  have  been  painted 
on  panel  are  in  a much  better  condition  than  those 
painted  on  canvas. 

Pictures  on  canvas  are  much  more  subject  to  de- 
terioration, than  those  on  panel. 

In  many  of  these  works  the  evidence  of  injury  re- 
sulting from  damp  situations  was  obvious,  particular- 
ly that  from  the  moisture  from  walls  against  which 
they  have  been  hung. 

The  patches  of  discoloration  and  mildew  were  some 
of  the  indications  of  this.  Where  the  paint  had  been 
thinly  laid  on  the  canvas,  this  was  occasi  Dually  very 
conspicuous. 

Then  again,  the  texture  of  certain  kinds  of  canvas 
tends  to  the  secretion  of  dirt,  which,  after  a time 
cannot  be  removed  without  damage  to  the  work. 

When  a canvas  is  not  wedged  up  tightly,  wrinkles 
sometimes  occur,  and  any  motion  which  may  be  in- 
duced by  the  looseness  of  it,  will  produce  cracks. 

The  numerous  cracks  which  are  to  be  found  on  old 
pictures  painted  on  canvas,  are  for  the  most  part  due 
to  this  cause.  So  long  as  the  paint  is  elastic,  this 
kind  of  injury  will  not  show  itself,  but  so  soon  as  it 
is  quite  dry,  it  becomes  very  brittle,  and  the  least 
bending  of  the  surface  will  crack  it.  Canvas  is  also 
incapable  of  resisting  a blow,  and  the  pressure  of  a 
nail  from  the  back  may  make  a hole  in  it.  Even 
chalk  marks  on  the  back  of  the  canvas,  will  cause 
cracks  in  the  surface  to  correspond. 

Panels  are  less  liable  to  any  of  these  risks,  and  they 
are  capable  of  resisting  most  other  injurious  influ- 
ences to  a greater  extent  than  canvas. 

Of  course  there  are  certain  disadvantages  in  con- 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


5Y 


nection  with  panel  pictures,  which  are  not  common 
to  pictures  on  canvas,  but  they  may  be  all  provided 
against. 

Both  large  and  small  cabinet  pictures  ought  to  be 
painted  on  panel,  when  the  durability  of  the  work  is 
of  consideration.  Works  painted  by  the  same  mas- 
ter, at  the  same  time,  and  on  the  two  materials 
referred  to,  show  a very  marked  difference  in  their 
states  of  preservation  in  favor  of  the  use  of  panel. 
When  the  work  has  been  painted  on  canvas,  the 
color  has  sunken  and  become  comparatively  dull  to 
whatsit  originally  was.  Many  of  those  works  which 
are  on  panel  are  as  brilliant  as  if  only  just  painted. 

The  works  by  Rubens  are  singularly  illustrative  of 
this.  All  of  those  which  have  been  executed  on 
panel  are  bright  and  fresh  looking,  while  those 
which  are  on  canvas,  although  painted  with  a thick 
impasto,  have  gone  down  very  much. 

The  works  by  Teniers,  Ostade,  Metzu,  Terburge 
and  others,  also  show  this  peculiar  difference  in 
condition,  when  the  two  materials  have  been  employ- 
ed by  the  same  painter. 

In  the  Price-0  wen  collection,  now  in  the  gallery 
at  the  South  Kensington  Museum,  is  “A  Portrait 
of  a Lady,”  by  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  painted  on 
panel,  which  was  unusual  with  this  master.  The 
preservation  of  the  picture  is  in  every  way  so  perfect 
that  it  looks  as  though  it  had  only  recently  left  the 
easel.  This  beautiful  work  is  so  vivid,  clear,  and 
free  from  cracks  and  fissures,  that  it  is  an  excellent 
example,  showing  the  superiority  of  the  panel  over 
canvas. 

The  writer  has  seen  most  of  the  works  by  Sir 
Joshua,  which  have  been  publicly  exhibited  during 


58 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


the  last  twenty-five  years,  and  he  does  not  recollect 
any  work  on  canvas,  by  the  same  master,  approach- 
ing it,  as  to  its  state  of  preservation. 

There  will  be  found  many  pictures  on  panels,  by 
all  the  early  masters,  which  have  suffered  from  various 
causes.  But  then  in  all  probability  their  state  would 
have  been  much  worse,  had  they  been  painted  on 
canvas.  These  panel  pictures  may  have  been  sub- 
jected to  influences  which  most  likely  would  have 
entirely  annihilated  works  on  canvas.  In  fact,  from 
the  appearance  which  many  of  them  present,  this 
must  have  been  the  case. 

In  some  instances  the  paint  is  seen  peeling  from 
the  surface  of  the  panel.  The  underground  of  the 
picture  appears  to  have  been  composed  of  animal 
glue  size,  and  whiting.  The  form  of  decay  alluded 
to  has  no  doubt  arisen  from  atttacks  of  damp 
through  the  back  of  the  picture,  which  decomposed 
the  size  with  which  the  priming  was  made.  The  ad- 
hesive quality  of  the  whiting  preparation  thus  de- 
stroyed, the  whole  of  the  substance  would  in  a little 
time  leave  the  surface  to  which  it  was  originally  ap- 
plied. 

If  the  backs  and  edges  of  the  panels  had  been  well 
covered  with  oil  paint,  or  with  a coat  of  wax  and  tur- 
pentine, in  all  probability  the  in  jury  alluded  to  would 
not  have  occurred  to  them. 

In  most  instances,  when  a picture  on  panel  has 
suffered,  it  might  have  been  easily  prevented  by  a 
little  forethought. 

i 

DAMAGE  TO  OIL  PAINTINGS  BY  DAMP  AND  GAS. 

Deterioration  in  pictures  is  sure  to  take  place 
under  the  most  favorable  conditions. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


59 


Even  when  the  knowledge  of  the  chemist  is  com- 
bined with  the  skill  of  the  painter,  certain  changes 
will  go  on  more  or  less,  although  in  most  instances 
they  may  be  nearly  imperceptible.  But  when  proper 
care  has  not  been  taken  as  to  the  materials  on  which 
the  picture  is  painted  or  the  preparation  of  grounds, 
in  the  choice  and  mixing  of  pigments,  and  in  the 
use  of  vehicles,  in  order  to  prevent  deterioration  as 
much  as  possible,  it  ought  not  to  be  a surprise  if 
changes  show  themselves  very  rapidly  in  various 
ways. " 

Oil  pictures  commonly  suffer  from  being  attacked 
at  the  back  by  damp  from  the  walls  on  which  they 
may  be  hung. 

The  canvas  on  which  they  are  painted  is  often  so 
incapable  of  resisting  moisture,  that  it  not  only  soon 
becomes  rotten,  but  the  damp  finds  its  way  through 
it  to  the  colors  on  the  front  surface. 

This  form  of  decay,  for  the  most  part,  may  be 
prevented,  or  at  least  checked,  by  painting  the  back 
of  the  canvas  with  a coat  of  white  lead. 

Painters’  canvas  is  usually  prepared  by  first  cover- 
ing one  side  of  it  with  a coat  of  whiting,  to  which 
glue  size  has  been  added.  Although  the  top  surface 
of  this  preparation  is  afterwards  protected  by  the 
coats  of  oil  paint  which  it  subsequently  receives, that 
part  of  the  glue  and  whiting  which  is  immediately 
attached  to  the  canvas,  is  always  liable  to  be  affected 
more  or  less  by  damp. 

No  doubt  the  coat  of  whiting  and  size  absorbs  a 
portion  of  the  oil  from  the  color,  which  is  afterwards 
laid  upon  it  to  finish  the  surface;  nevertheless,  this 
is  attended  with  uncertainty,  and  the  consequences 
are  accordingly  very  serious. 


60 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


It  is  not  unusual  to  find  the  back  of  a newly 
painted  picture  covered  with  a compact  fur  or  fun- 
gus. 

In  such  a case  an  organic  change  has  taken  place 
in  the  priming  of  glue  and  whiting,  the  effect  of 
damp  on  the  glue  size,  and  which,  if  not  arrested, 
will  ultimately  end  in  the  destruction  of  the  picture. 
Whenever  this  may  have  happened,  a certain  damage 
will  have  been  done  to  the  work  which  cannot  be  re- 
paired, and  this  will  be  more  distinctly  shown  in  the 
course  of  time  by  the  paint  peeling  off  the  canvas 
wholesale. 

In  rooms  where  gas  is  used  for  lighting,  any  tex- 
tile fabric  which  may  be  in  them  greatly  suffers.  In- 
deed, in  some  instances,  a few  years  are  sufficient  to 
effect  complete  decay.  This  is  shown  by  the  break- 
ing of  picture-cords,  window-blind-cords,  etc. 

The  backs  of  oil  pictures  on  canvas  are  subject  to 
the  same  influence.  It  must,  therefore,  be  seen 
that  unless  they  are  protected,  destruction  must  en- 
sue. 

It  may  be  said,  in  answer  to  this,  that  oil  pictures 
on  canvas  may  be  lined  and  relined  when  necessary; 
and  this  is  quite  true.  At  the  same  time  it  would 
be  a mistake  to  suppose  that  a work  escapes  injury 
whenever  this  is  done. 

The  writer  is  well  acquainted  with  the  various 
processes  resorted  to  for  cleaning,  restoring  and  lin- 
ing pictures,  and  feels  assured  that  every  effort 
should  be  made  to  protect  works  of  art,  from  the 
necessity  of  undergoing  any  operation  of  the  kind. 

A coat  of  oil  paint,  applied  to  the  backs  of  can- 
vases, will  prevent  the  form  of  decay  above  alluded 
to. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


61 


When  canvas  is  used  the  smooth  kind  is  the  best 
for  small  or  moderate  sized  works,  and  when  very 
high  finish  is  deemed  desirable. 

Canvas  of  a rough  surface  is  not  so  well  adapted 
for  works  of  this  class,  as  it  interferes  with  the 
proper  effect.  But  for  paintings  of  large  dimensions, 
and  when  high  finish  is  not  intended,  then  Koman 
canvas  or  ticking  are  preferable. 

COLOR  OF  GROUND  FOR  PANELS  OR  CANVAS. 

The  ground  of  the  canvas  or  panels  on  which 
pictures  are  intended  to  be  painted  should  always  be 
of  a light  color,  and  the  permanent  brightness  of  a 
work  will  much  depend  on  this. 

If  a dark  ground  be  employed  it  will  soon  show 
through  the  light  colors  thinly  painted  on  it. 

Many  of  the  pictures  of  the  old  Spanish  school, 
being  painted  on  a dull  red  ground,  have  become 
so  dark  that  the  thinly  painted  parts  are  scarcely 
discernible. 

Nearly  all  the  works  by  Nicolas  and  Gasper  Pous- 
sin are  painted  either  on  a red  or  umber  ground,  and 
the  color  of  the  works  of  the  former,  which  was 
never  pleasant,  has  at  length  become  very  offensive; 
this  is  due  to  the  change  referred  to. 

Everything  considered,  a pure  white  ground  is  pre- 
ferable to  all  others,  and  pictures  wrhich  have  been 
painted  with  a fair  impasto  on  a white  ground,  have 
been  found  to  survive  the  ravages  of  time  the  best. 

BRUSHES,  ETC. 

Good  tools  are  indispensible  to  good  work. 

They  should  always  be  kept  clean  and  in  proper 

order. 


62 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


Whenever  it  is  practicable,  it  is  desirable  that  hog- 
hair  brushes  should  be  employed  to  lay  on  color  in 
preference  to  sable. 

When  this  is  done  with  due  intelligence,  the  work 
will  be  much  more  satisfactory  than  when  performed 
with  sable  brushes. 

There  is  often  a feeble  look  about  a work  executed 
with  sable  brushes,  which  is  rarely  the  case  when 
hog-hair  tools  have  been  used. 

Brushes  must  always  be  washed  with  soap  and 
water  at  the  end  of  each  day’s  work.  After  they  are 
wiped  with  a towel,  they  should  be  drawn  to  a point, 
and  allowed  to  dry  thoroughly.  By  this  practice  the 
points  of  the  brushes,  which  are  so  essential  in  work- 
ing, are  preserved  until  they  are  worn  out.  If  this 
habit  is  not  observed,  brushes  will  not  yield  readily 
to  the  will  of  the  painter,  and  they  are  soon  unfit  for 
use.  If  students  do  not  keep  their  materials  in  good 
condition,  their  general  success  is  interfered  with, 
and  the  interest  is  checked  which  ought  always  to  be 
felt  in  their  work. 

The  study  of  art  in  itself  is  difficult  enough,  and 
no  unnecessary  impediment  ought  to  come  in  the 
way,  in  the  form  of  imperfect  materials,  to  make  it 
more  so. 

The  habit  should  be  formed  early  of  using  brushes 
as  large  as  possible.  By  doing  so  the  quality  of  the 
work  will  more  likely  be  better  than  when  small 
ones  are  used;  and  what  is  still  more  important,  the 
student  will  be  obliged  to  work  slower  and  with  more 
deliberation. 

When  painting  with  large  brushes  every  stroke 
must  be  well  guided,  or  confusion  and  emptiness  will 
soon  be  the  result.  Every  touch,  when  well  directed, 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


63 


will  probably  be  just  the  embodiment  of  the  eye,  the 
mind  and  the  hand,  which  last  should  ever  be  the 
obedient  servant  of  the  two  other  agents.  The  hand 
should  never  be  permitted  to  work  on  its  own  ac- 
count, a habit  which  we  so  constantly  see. 

The  itse  of  small  brushes  always  favors  poor  work. 
They  do  not  require  so  constantly  directing  as  large 
ones  do.  They  cover  but  a small  space  on  the  can- 
vas at  a stroke,  and  therefore  will  not  go  so  far 
wrong  as  a large  one  would  do  without  proper  direc- 
tion. 

Small  brushes  encourage  a thoughtless  and  idle 
method  of  working,  most  damaging  to  the  education 
of  the  student,  while  insipidity  or  inanity  will  most 
likely  be  the  chief  features  of  the  work  itself. 

The  forms  of  brushes  are  of  some  consequence 
with  most  painters.  Animal  and  landscape  painters 
occasionally  have  brushes  specially  made  for  them. 
This  was  the  habit  of  Sir  Edwin  Landseer.  Round 
tools  are  best  suited  for  some  kinds  of  work,  while 
flat  ones  will  do  other  kinds  better. 

Ordinary  intelligence  is,  however,  usually  sufficient 
to  suggest  what  may  be  required  in  such  matters, 
after  a little  practice. 

If  one  may  judge  from  observation,  it  is  the  habit 
of  all  students  when  beginning  to  paint,  to  hold  a 
brush  in  the  mouth.  This  no  doubt  arises  from  the 
difficulty  felt  at  first,  of  holding  in  one  hand  a sheaf 
of  brushes,  together  with  the  palette  and  mahLstick. 
This  practice  should  be  guarded  against. 

Oval  palettes,  made  either  with  walnut,  sycamore, 
or  satin  wood,  are  found  to  be  the  most  agreeable  for 
oil  painting.  Mahogany,  although  so  much  used,  is 
not  a pleasant  wood  for  the  purpose. 


64 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


For  water-color  painting,  papier-mache  palettes 
will  be  found  very  serviceable.  They  can  be  had  of 
any  tint,  and  as  large  as  those  generally  used  for  oil 
painting,  and  are  not  too  heavy. 

CARE  AND  TREATMENT  OE  PICTURES. 

Oil  paintings  should  never  be  turned  with  their 
faces  to  the  wall.  Both  old  and  new  works  become 
discolored  by  exclusion  from  light.  Newly  painted 
pictures  in  oil  color  undergo  a rapid  change  when 
placed  in  the  dark.  White  first  becomes  a dirty  yel- 
low, and  ultimately  turns  to  a light  brown. 

Every  other  color,  whether  mixed  or  unmixed,  is 
affected  in  the  same  way,  although  the  change  may 
not  be  so  apparent  as  it  is  in  the  light  ones.  This 
deterioration  arises  chiefly  from  the  darkening  of  the 
oils  with  which  the  colors  may  be  mixed,  or  the 
vehicles  used  to  convey  them  to  the  canvas. 

A painting  discolored  by  the  cause  referred  to, 
may  be  partly  restored  to  its  original  condition  by 
exposure  to  full  light  for  a few  weeks. 

If  the  darkening  of  a picture  is  due  to  some  chem- 
ical action  in  the  colors  themselves,  which  is  not  un- 
frequently  the  case,  the  original  condition  of  the 
work  cannot  be  restored. 

VARNISHING  PICTURES,  ETC. 

The  application  of  a thick  coat  of  varnish  to  an 
oil  picture  as  usually  practised  is  a mistake. 

The  chief  use  of  varnish  is  to  bring  out  the  full 
value  of  the  darker  colors,  and  to  protect  the  work 
generally  from  dirt,  and  from  the  action  of  injurious 
vapor.  A very  thin  coat  of  varnish  is  always  suffi- 
cient to  do  this. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


65 


Soon  after  a painting  is  finished,  a smear  of 
medium,  composed  of  raw  linseed  oil  and  Copal  var- 
nish, may  be  rubbed  over  the  surface  of  it.  At  the 
end  of  three  years,  and  after  it  has  been  carefully 
sponged  with  a little  cold  water  to  remove  the  dirt, 
a thin  coat  of  Mastic  varnish  may  be  applied.  In  a 
little  time  after  this  has  been  done,  a bloom  will 
most  likely  appear  on  the  surface  of  the  picture. 
This  may  be  removed  easily  by  lightly  rubbing  it 
with  an  old  silk  handkerchief,  or  a piece  of  soft  wash 
leather,  on  which  a little  raw  linseed  oil  has  been 
placed.  The  surface  thus  produced  will  keep  in 
good  condition,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  for 
many  years,  and  without  any  further  varnishing. 

When  varnish  is  put  upon  oil  pictures  too  soon 
after  they  are  painted,  it  tears  up  the  partially  dried 
color,  and  produces  fissures  which  are  nearly  always 
irreparable.  Nevertheless  it  is  desirable  that  the 
surface  of  the  picture  should  be  protected  by  var- 
nish, as  soon  as  the  paint  is  dry  enough  to  receive  it, 
for  all  colors  will  deteriorate  unless  this  is  done. 

ASPHALTUM  AND  FUGITIVE  COLORS. 

Notwithstanding  the  fascinating  peculiarities  of 
Bitumen  or  Asphaltum,  they  should  never  have  a 
place  on  the  painter’s  palette.  They  are  not  pig- 
ments, but  simply  pitch  or  deeply  colored  vanishes. 

They  never  dry  as  colors  do,  but  alter  with  the 
temperature,  whether  the  result  of  the  sun’s  rays  or 
the  fire  of  a room.  That  preparation  usually  sold 
under  the  name  of  Bitumen  is  only  Asphaltum,  with 
a little  boiled  oil,  mastic  meguilp,  or  wax,  added. 
These  ingredients  give  to  it  that  consistency  which 
we  find,  when  squeezed  from  the  tube.  By  these 


66 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


additions  it  is  intended  that  Asphaltum  should  be 
more  eligible  for  the  painter’s  use.  This  is  a delu- 
sion, and  the  damaging  effect  on  any  work  where 
it  may  have  been  applied,  is  only  a question  of 
time.  Painters  are  sometimes  aware  of  the  results 
of  the  use  of  Asphaltum  in  pictures;  yet  they  are 
tempted,  by  the  beauty  of  its  hue,  to  try  further 
experiments  with  it  in  their  own  way,  and  they 
rather  persuade  themselves,  that  their  own  special 
method  of  applicaton,  will  overcome  its  objection- 
able tendencies. 

Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  Wilkie,  Jackson,  Opie  and 
other  painters  have  used  Asphaltum  in  many  of  their 
works,and  the  wide  fissures  with  which  we  find  some 
of  them  covered,  are  the  result  of  its  use  more  than 
anything  else.  All  this  shows  very  clearly  that  we 
ought  to  avoid  Asphaltum. 

Many  of  the  fine  portraits  by  Sir  Joshua  have  been 
painted  in  combination  with  Asphaltum  and  fugitive 
colors.  We  are  able  to  form  an  idea  of  what  he 
used,  from  ISTorthcote’s  notes  in  his  life  of  Sir  Joshua, 
and  also  of  the  cause  of  the  changes  which  have 
taken  place. 

The  earlier  part  of  his  career  was  devoted  to  ex- 
periments, but  they  appear  to  have  been  in  no  way 
made  with  reference  to  the  permanence  of  his  pro- 
ductions. 

His  chief  object  was  to  obtain  some  oil-vehicle,  or 
pigment  which  would  assist  him  in  giving  the  like- 
ness or  peculiarity  of  surface  of  the  object  he  wished 
to  imitate,  as  also  to  obtain  tone  in  combination  with 
brilliancy  of  effect;  and  he  appears  to  have  forgotten 
every  other  consideration  in  this  effort.  Sir  Joshua 
used  the  yellow  and  red  preparations  of  Arsenic, 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


67 


Orpiment,  and  Realgar;  pigments  of  the  most  fleet- 
ing kind,  as  well  as  the  most  injurious  to  those  colors 
they  come  in  contact  with.  Wax,  Bitumen,  Mastic, 
Carmine,  the  whole  of  the  Cochineal  lakes  and  other 
materials,  equally  unsuitable  for  oil  painting,  were 
also  employed  to  aid  him  in  his  endeavor  to  imitate 
what  he  saw  in  nature. 

FISSURES. 

It  frequently  happens  that  in  a week  or  two  after  a 
work  has  been  painted,  small  cracks  or  fissures  are  to 
be  seen  all  over  the  surface  of  it,  but  more  especially 
in  the  darker  parts. 

When  a work  has  been  swiftly  pain  ted,  or  executed 
at  cne  sitting,  this  defect  is  found  to  occur  still 
oftener.  It  is  caused  by  the  contraction  of  the  color 
in  drying.  The  oil  with  which  the  pigment  was 
mixed  by  the  colorman,  was  not  sufficiently  elastic  to 
admit  of  that  contraction  which  always  takes  place 
from  the  action  of  the  air.  The  colorman  finds  it 
necessary  to  mix  his  pigments,  when  preparing  them, 
with  nut  or  poppy  oil  as  well  as  with  linseed  oil,  to 
prevent  them  from  drying  in  the  tube,  or  becoming 
fat  by  keeping.  If  too  much  of  the  two  former  oils 
is  present  in  a color,  its  elasticity  is  interfered  with, 
and  as  a consequence  the  color  divides  in  drying. 
When  turpentine  is  used  to  thin  certain  colors,  it 
also  assists  in  producing  fissures.  In  the  evaporation 
of  the  turpentine,  some  of  the  oils  are  most  likely 
carried  oft  with  it,  leaving  the  color  insufficiently 
elastic  to  remain  intact. 

In  all  probability  the  old  painters  ground  their 
colors  in  linseed  oil  as  they  were  required,  which 
prevented  defects  of  this  kind. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


THE  PALNTIH G-ROOM. 

The  painting-room  should  be  lighted  from  the 
north  or  northeast.  From  any  other  aspect  sun- 
light would  interfere  too  much  with  the  work. 

For  ordinary  work  the  bottom  of  the  window  should 
be  at  least  six  feet  from  the  floor  of  the  room.  When 
a painting-room  is  specially  built,  the  window  may 
come  near  to  the  floor ; the  lower  part  might  then  be 
covered  up  with  drapery  according  to  the  light  re- 
quired. For  figure  subjects  the  light  should  be  of  a 
concentrated  character.  Eembrandt,  and  other  mas- 
ters of  bis  time,  preferred  a very  narrow  aperture  for 
the  light,  and  the  peculiarity  of  effect  given  by  these 
painters  to  their  works,  is  mainly  due  to  this  arrange- 
ment. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  paint  a good  portrait  in  a 
diffuse  light. 

Some  of  the  heads  by  Eembrandt  are  painted  from 
a model  lighted  from  an  aperture  not  more  than 
eighteen  inches  square,  while  the  painter  himself  re- 
ceived light  for  his  work  from  another  source. 

With  the  landscape-painter  it  is  quite  different. 
He  generally  paints  his  picture  from  sketches  pre- 
viously prepared  from  nature;  consequently,  he  only 
requires  a full  and  good  light.  It  is  not  necessary  for 
it  to  be  from  the  north ; and  sometimes  a large  top 
light  is  preferred  to  all  others. 

The  walls  of  the  painting-room  should  be  of  a 
warm  grey,  which  may  be  made  with  white,  black, 
Yellow  Ochre,  and  a very  little  Prussian  Blue  in 
combination.  The  tint  should  be  rather  dark,  so  as 
not  to  give  back  much  light. 

Such  a tint,  whether  obtained  in  a paper-hanging, 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


69 


or  a distemper  color,  will  form  a most  pleasant  back- 
ground for  furniture,  pictures,  and  the  usual  objects 
of  the  painting-room.  It  is  also  very  well  suited  as 
a general  background  for  the  Jiving  model.  When, 
however,  it  is  intended  to  give  an  outside  effect  to 
the  objects  to  be  represented,  the  upper  part  of  the 
walls  of  the  painting-room  should  be  of  a lighter 
color  than  the  lower. 

The  chocolate-colored  tint,  which  has  been  so  much 
employed  in  England,  not  only  in  studies,  but  in  pub- 
lic buildings  and  picture-galleries,  is  simply  hideous. 

No  one  who  ever  felt  color  truly,  could  have  had 
the  least  sympathy  with  it,  employed  as  it  has  been, 
in  this  country,  without  any  balance  or  contrast. 

The  floor  of  the  painting-room  should  be  covered 
with  linoleum  or  something  of  that  kind,  and  of  an 
agreeable  hue.  On  this  material  a number  of  worn 
and  faded  rugs  might  be  placed  here  and  there,  and 
in  such  positions  as  would  best  suit  the  convenience, 
taste,  and  comfort  of  the  painter.  These  rugs  might 
be  taken  up  readily,  when  required,  and  freed  from 
dust,  and  the  linoleum  wiped  over  with  a wet  cloth, 
to  remove  lint  and  dirt.  A well  worn  Turkey  carpet 
in  the  middle  of  a painting-room,  supplies  a pleasant 
covering  for  the  floor.  The  surrounding  margin, 
which  it  may  not  cover,  if  painted  over  of  a dark  and 
good  color,  always  produces  a pleasant  effect. 

Of  course  the  furniture  should  be  carefully  select- 
ed. If  the  room  is  intended  for  a figure  painter, 
every  object  acquired,  should  have  some  relation  to 
its  future  usefulness  in  this  direction. 

When  the  purchase  of  old  tapestry  can  be  made, 
nothing  produces  a more  agreeable  effect  on  the  walls 
of  the  room,  and  it  is  always  useful.  Apart  from  its 


no 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


decorative  characters  it  forms  a ready  background 
either  for  sitters  or  furniture. 

METHODS  OE  PAINTING. 


The  various  methods  of  painting  practiced  in  both 
ancient  and  modern  times,  are  not  equally  productive 
of  lasting  effects.  On  the  whole,  solid  painting  is 
found  to  be  the  most  durable.  The  system  of  obtain- 
ing the  greys  in  flesh -painting  by  scumbling,  is  a 
convenient  and  ready  one,  but  ought  to  be  employed 
with  much  judgment,  or  the  color  will  soon  change. 
When  the  tint  forming  the  scumble  is  nicely  calcu- 
lated, no  doubt  a more  delicate  and  transparent  grey 
will  be  the  result,  than  when  produced  by  solid  paint- 
ing. The  process,  indeed,  resembles  that  of  nature. 
Much  of  the  grey  tint  which  we  find  in  flesh,  is  the 
effect  of  a thin,  semi-transparent,  and  delicately, 
colored  skin  covering  a darker  substance  underneath, 
and  thus  producing  those  subtle  blue  and  green 
greys,  which  the  best  colorists  alone  are  able  to  imi- 
tate. 

The  colors  over  which  a scumble  is  placed  ought 
never  to  be  too  dark,  nor  indeed  much  darker  than 
the  scumble  itself,  or  they  will  soon  eat  through  it. 

At  any  time  it  was  the  practice  of  Titian  and  other 
Venetian  masters,  to  paint  in  the  dead  coloring  of 
their  work  solidly.  White,  black,  and  a little  Indian 
Bed  in  the  shadows,  were  used  for  this  purpose. 

Over  this  preparation  the  true  hues  of  the  objects 
were  painted  with  transparent  colors,  introducing  in 
the  lights  and  half-lights,  opaque  and  semi-opaque 
colors.  Glazing  was  not  confined  to  the  deep  shad- 
ows and  dark  half-tints,  but  the  local  hues  of  objects 
were  often  represented  by  this  process. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


71 


The  method  has  been  followed  with  success  in 
continental  schools,  as  well  as  by  painters  in  this 
country.  Studies,  or  copies  from  Titian’s  works  can 
be  best  made  by  this  process.  Indeed,  such  pictures 
as  the  ‘Entombment,’  in  the  Louvre,  or  the  ‘ Peter 
Martyr/  could  only  be  well  imitated  by  this  system 
of  working,  and  it  will  also  be  found  to  be  more  en- 
during in  its  effects  than  most  others. 

It  is  the  practice  of  some  painters,  when  they  re- 
quire dull  tints,  to  produce  them  by  mixing  several 
bright  colors  together,  with  the  addition  of  white. 
This  should  never  be  done.  Whenever  the  tint  re- 
quired can  be  made  with  the  more  sombre  colors, 
the  brighter  ones  should  not  be  employed  for  the  pur- 
pose. As  a rule,  bright  colors  are  more  fugitive  than 
dull  ones,  and  when  they  are  mixed  together,  they 
become  still  more  liable  to  a change.  Most  of  the 
bright  colors  are  chemical  productions;  the  manufac- 
ture of  them  is  often  very  imperfect,  arising  from 
various  causes,  not  easily  controlled.  Any  slovenli- 
ness on  the  part  of  the  workmen  engaged  in  their 
preparation,  and  which  it  is  to  be  feared,  but  too 
often  occurs,  would  not  only  render  a color  fugitive 
in  itself,  but  damaging  to  those  with  which  it  may 
come  in  contact. 

It  will  therefore  be  seen,  how  much  more  likely 
bright  colors  are  to  change  than  dull  ones,  the  latter 
being  either  native  earths,  or  mineral  substances,  and 
little  affected  by  time. 

The  tints  used  for  flesh-painting  in  modern  times, 
frequently  change  very  rapidly.  This  is  often  due 
to  the  use  of  bright  and  fleeting  colors,  such  as  the 
lakes  from  cochineal.  Yellow  Cadmium,  the  light 
madders,  &c.  When  the  tints  required  for  flesh  can 


72 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


be  produced  by  mixing  white  with  the  Vermilions, 
the  iron  reds  (Light,  Venetian,  or  Indian  red),  the 
Ochres,  the  Siennas,  the  Umbers,  and  the  Naples 
Yellows,  they  may  always  be  relied  on  as  permanent. 

The  bright  colors  will  of  course  produce  more  fas- 
cinating tints,  but  they  will  not  last  so  long  as  the 
dull  ones. 


IMITATION-  OF  SURFACES. 

The  imitation  of  various  surfaces,  by  what  is  com- 
monly known  amongst  painters,  as  texture  or  “ qual- 
ity,” ought  to  be  of  consideration  with  the  student. 

Certain  surfaces  may  be  best  represented  by  intelli- 
gent brash  work,  and  manipulative  skill,  rather  than 
by  an  effort  of  absolute  imitation. 

The  quality  of  the  furs  of  certain  animals,  dra- 
peries, the  texture  of  fruit,  and  the  foregrounds  of 
landscapes,  &c.,  &c.,  may  often  be  better  expressed 
by  clever  brush  work  and  “ quality,”  than  by  at- 
tempts at  actual  imitation. 

Sir  Edwin  Landseer  possessed  unusual  skill  of  this 
kind,  perhaps  even  to  a greater  extent  than  any  other 
painter. 

When  the  process  is  carried  too  far,  the  effect  be- 
comes offensive  and  vulgar,  and  it  is  then  very  just- 
ly called  “trick.”  So  that  much  discrimination  is 
necessary,  in  order  to  make  the  fullest  use  of  mechan- 
ical means,  and  manipulative  skill,  without  carrying 
them  over  the  line  of  fitness  and  propriety. 

It  is  much  better  to  err  on  the  side  of  elaborate 
imitation,  than  to  fall  into  methods  of  imitative 
trickery. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


73 


GENERAL  REMARKS  ON  THE  PRACTICE  OF  PAINTING. 

The  old  painters  of  different  schools  and  countries 
have  employed  various  methods  in  the  technical  use 
of  colors,  for  the  pictorial  representation  of  objects. 
Several  of  these  methods  were  so  perfect,  that  they 
have  been  constantly  adopted  in  more  modern  times, 
down  to  the  present.  Indeed,  in  the  hands  of  the 
painter  who  is  acquainted  with  their  resources,  they 
furnish  everything  that  can  be  desired. 

In  the  works  of  the  Venetian  School,  we  have  the 
most  complete  evidence  of  power  in  this  respect, 
which  the  technicalities  of  art  can  give. 

The  works  of  Bellini,  and  other  painters  of  his 
time,  present  to  us  their  systems  of  thin  painting  over 
white  grounds,  and  which  were  most  likely  prepared 
in  distemper. 

These  grounds  have  great  power  to  reflect  light, 
even  when  the  colors  are  painted  over  them.  At 
this  period,  manipulative  skill  was  not  so  much  the 
aim,  as  refined  realization.  The  full  power  of  the 
material  was  not  then  known.  But  when  Titian,  the 
pupil  of  Bellini,  and  Giorgione,  had  made  them- 
selves fully  aquainted  with  the  means  at  their  com- 
mand, they  were  soon  able  to  develop  a system  of 
painting,  and  a manipulative  knowledge  which  has 
never  been  surpassed. 

The  life  of  Titian  was  one  of  experiments  in  his 
art.  At  the  early  part  of  his  career  he  painted  in 
the  manner  of  his  master.  But  in  a short  time  this 
was  embarrassing  to  him,  and  also  insufficient.  He 
then  had  recourse  to  painting  in  his  subject  in  light 
and  shade,  in  the  most  solid  manner;  depending  on 
glazing  for  that  harmony  and  depth  of  coloring, 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


Y4 

which  we  see  in  his  best  works.  Painting  solidly 
with  opaque  color,  and  glazing  afterwards,  was  also 
the  habit  of  Giorgione,  the  two  Palmas,  Tintoretto, 
and  Paolo  Veronese.  Painters  of  less  notoriety,  and 
living  at  the  same  time,  also  pursued  this  method 
of  working. 

In  Flanders  it  was  copied  by  Rubens,  and  adopted 
by  Vandyke  and  other  pupils  of  Rubens.  The 
works  of  Rembrandt  also  owe  much  to  it.  In  Eng- 
land the  most  perfect  exponent  was  Sir  Joshua  Rey- 
nolds. It  is  in  fact,  the  only  method  of  painting  in 
oil  suited  to  the  execution  of  large  works. 

The  pictures  of  the  old  Dutch  School  are  perfect, 
as  small  examples  to  students,  showing  the  techni- 
calities of  art.  Those  by  Adrian  Brauwer  and  A. 
Ostade  are  for  the  most  part  produced  by  solid  paint- 
ing, and  with  glazing  on  the  top  of  it!  The  original 
ground  is  rarely  ever  to  be  seen.  The  productions 
of  David  Teniers  the  younger  are  painted  in  a differ- 
ent way.  His  aim  was  always  to  paint  everything  at 
once,  which  indeed  he  did  with  an  alluring  facility. 

This  method  enabled  him  to  show  his  under- 
ground, and  which  gave  great  transparency  to  the 
work. 

By  this  prompt,  judicious,  and  almost  playful 
manner  of  working,  a charm  is  given  to  his  produc- 
tions which  more  elaborate  systems  cannot  supply. 

Every  art  student  should  study  very  carefully  the 
pictures  by  this  master,  as  well  as  those  of  the 
Dutch  School  generally,  for  they  will  best  furnish 
him  with  the  means  to  understand  the  language  of 
his  art,  and  most  readily  assist  him  to  apply  it  in  his 
own  work. 

It  is  a curious  fact,  that  when  the  coloring  of  a 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


75 


picture  is  not  in  harmony,  it  is  mainly  in  conse- 
quence of  there  being  either  too  little  or  too  much 
yellow  in  combination  with  some  of  the  colors  in  the 
work. 

Let  the  experiment  be  tried  of  placing  together 
colors  which  are  out  of  harmony  with  each  other. 
Then  let  the  painter  add  to,  or  take  from  them  the 
amount  of  yellow  which  he  may  feel  necessary,  to 
bring  the  whole  into  harmony.  If  this  be  properly 
done,  the  desired  effect  will  be  produced,  and  the 
picture  will  be  in  perfect  harmony. 

The  whites  are  often  too  cold,  or  too  warm;  the 
reds,  blues,  greens  and  greys,  may  also  be  deficient 
in  this  respect.  Or  the  general  aspect  of  the  picture 
may  be  such  as  to  require  treatment  in  the  way 
pointed  out,  to  bring  it  into  harmony  as  a whole.  It 
is  also  found  that  if  a color  in  a picture  be  not  in 
general  harmony  with  the  work,  such  color  will  not 
only  be  imperfect  in  itself,  but  all  those  colors  or 
hues  which  happen  to  be  in  juxtaposition,  and  which 
may  be  correct,  will  appear  to  be  out  of  harmony 
also. 

The  colors  in  most  old  oil-paintings,  whether  good 
or  bad,  are  usually  in  harmony  with  each  other. 
This  arises  from  the  yellowness  of  the  varnish  which 
covers  the  surface,  and  also  from  the  discoloration 
of  the  vehicles,  &c.,  with  which  the  works  have  been 
painted. 

When  these  yellow  coverings  have  been  removed 
from  old  pictures  in  the  process  of  restoration,  it  is 
not  uncommon  to  find  the  work  underneath  the  var- 
nish very  inharmonious. 

In  such  cases  it  has  sometimes  been  supposed  that 
the  glazings  have  been  taken  away  which  have  pro- 


76 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


duced  this  change,  and  which  is  often  the  fact;  but 
more  frequently  the  alteration  is  due  to  the  removal 
of  the  yellow  varnish  referred  to. 

A badly  colored  picture  will  always  look  fairly  well 
by  gas  or  lamp  light.  This  is  in  consequence  of  the 
rays  of  light  from  those  sources  being  yellow.  The 
effect  is  that  of  a yellow  coat  of  varnish  oyer  the 
work. 


BAD  EFFECTS  OF  SCUMBLING. 

Changes  in  oil-pictures  frequently  take  place  from 
the  injudicious  use  of  scumbling. 

A thin  scumble  of  light  color  is  sometimes  applied 
to  a dark  surface.  When  this  is  the  case,  a change 
for  the  worse  will  be  the  result  in  a short  time  after- 
wards. It  is  the  habit  of  light  colors,  when  thinly 
scumbled  over  dark  ones,  to  become  fugitive.  It  is 
also  the  peculiarity  of  dark  colors  to  show  through  a 
thin  scumble  more  and  more  as  time  goes  on. 

It  will  therefore  be  seen  that  here  are  two  elements 
more  or  less  productive  of  change. 

This  can  be  guarded  again  t by  taking  care  that 
the  surface  over  which  it  is  intended  to  apply  the 
scumble  be  not  too  dark. 

In  the  practice  of  painting,  effort  should  be  made 
to  lay  the  colors  on  the  canvas  at  once.  When  the 
desired  effect  can  be  obtained  at  one  painting,  it  is 
much  better  than  when  arrived  at  by  repeated  paint- 
ings. Too  much  disturbance  of  colors  with  the 
brush  produces  muddiness.  When  they  are  brought 
into  immediate  contact  by  much  mixing,  they  are  not 
so  likely  to  be  permanent  as  when  the  opposite  prac- 
tice is  followed.  Excessive  mixing  brings  the  parti- 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


Y7 

cles  of  colors  into  close  contact  with  each  other,  and 
favors  thereby  a chemical  change  and  deterioration. 

Sometimes  artists  are  in  the  habit  of  painting 
their  works  in  a dark  key,  in  imitation,  as  they  sup- 
pose, of  those  by  the  old  masters. 

This  is  even  done  by  men  of  distinction,  and  is 
productive  of  mischief  amongst  students,  who  often 
aim  at  imitating  in  their  work  the  peculiarities  of 
their  seniors.  An  old  painting,  as  seen  to-day,  has 
undergone  a great  change  since  the  time  it  was  first 
produced.  In  most  cases  the  colors  have  become 
mellowed  and  subdued  by  time.  But  when  we  con- 
sider the  effect  which  would  be  brought  about  by 
the  application  of  from  twenty  to  thirty  coats  of  var- 
nish at  various  periods,  with  a certain  amount  of  dirt 
interposed  between  each  coat,  together  with  the  re- 
peated injuries  of  the  picture-cleaner,  during  the 
course  of  centuries,  it  can  easily  be  supposed  that  all 
old  paintings,  however  good  their  state  may  be,  can 
bear  but  little  resemblance  to  what  they  were  when 
they  left  the  painter’s  hands.  The  peculiarities  pro- 
duced by  time,  discolored  oils,  varnishes,  and  repara- 
tion— all  of  which  present  themselves  in  old  pictures 
— are  imitated  wholesale  by  some  painters. 

Thsy  forget,  or  they  act  irrespective  of  the  fact, 
that  an  excess  of  varnish  or  oil  in  a painting  will  in 
a comparatively  short  time  ruin  it. 

The  old  painters  appear  to  have  had  a clearer  idea 
of  the  fitness  of  the  materials  for  their  work  than 
more  modern  painters.  It  is  remarkable  that  the 
works  by  the  chief  of  the  old  masters  are  free  from 
those  marks  of  decay,  and  evidence  of  ignorance  as 
to  the  materials  used  in  them,  which  we  find  in  more 
modern  works.  Take  for  example,  those  of  the 


78 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


English  School,  which  are  covered  with  wide  fissures, 
many  by  Sir  Josua  Reynolds,  Opie,  Sir  David  Wilkie 
and  others.  These  injuries  are  most  likely  due  to 
the  use  of  either  wax  or  Bitumen,  and  often  to  the 
employment  of  water  color  on  the  top  of  oil  color. 

IMPASTO  IN  OIL  PAINTING. 

When  painting  with  white  or  with  light  tints,  it 
will  he  found  that  the  greatest  power  of  reflecting 
light  is  obtained  where  the  color  has  been  laid  on  the 
thickest. 

White,  or  tints  of  the  description  alluded  to,  em- 
ployed thinly,  are  not  nearly  so  powerful  as  when 
laid  on  with  great  body. 

The  part  of  the  work  which  is  intended  to  be  the 
brightest  and  most  powerful  should  therefore  receive 
the  greatest  body  of  color,  and  sometimes  be  loaded 
with  it. 

It  is  always  best  to  keep  the  shadows  thin  in  color, 
for  they  will  keep  their  places  better  when  this  is  the 
case. 

In  the  course  of  the  work  the  painting  will  often 
be  found  to  have  acquired  a roughness  beyond  what 
is  desirable.  When  this  is  so,  any  marks  of  the 
brush  or  raisings  of  color,  which  may  appear  to  in- 
terfere with  the  surface  of  the  work,  when  seen  at 
the  proper  distance,  should  be  carefully  removed. 

This  may  be  done  in  several  ways.  If  only  a few 
lines  or  small  lumps  of  paint  occur,  the  knife  will 
soon  remove  them  without  scraping.  When  the  tex- 
ture is  uniformly  too  rough,  it  may  be  reduced  by 
scraping  it  with  a razor  or  common  table  knife  made 
very  keen,  or  by  sandpaper  or  cuttlefish.  Before, 
however,  any  application  of  this  kind  is  made,  it 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


79 


should  be  first  ascertained  if  the  paint  is  dry  enough 
to  allow  of  it. 


RAPID  SKETCHING. 

Sketching  from  nature  should  be  the  constant 
practice,  not  only  of  every  art  student,  but  every 
painter,  however  advanced  he  may  be  in  his  career. 
Some  of  the  studies  made,  ought  to  be  of  the  most 
careful  character  possible,  while  others  shotfld  be  ex- 
ecuted against  time,  and  in  a very  rapid  manner. 
These  two  methods  of  study  should  be  carried  on  to- 
gether every  day;  in  fact  the  practice  is  indispens- 
able with  the  student.  Such  a habit  of  working  will 
alone  enable  him  to  copy  nature  in  her  most  fasci- 
nating, but  often  her  most  fleeting  guise. 

The  best  effects  being  usually  very  transient,  the 
combined  power  of  swiftness  and  accuracy  will  be 
found  necessary,  in  order  to  obtain  a representation 
of  them. 

The  power  to  work  swiftly  and  accurately,  is  quite 
another  thing  to  working  slowly  and  well,  and  un- 
less the  double  power  referred  to  be  acquired,  the 
painter  will  fall  short  in  his  work. 

It  is  an  excellent  practice  to  make  rapid  studies 
in  water-color  from  pictures  by  the  old  masters;  just 
blots  of  color  in  flat  washes.  Of  small  cabinet  works, 
two  or  three  studies  a day  might  easily  be  made. 
Such  recollections  will  be  found  to  be  of  the  utmost 
value  to  the  art  student,  and  they  ought  always  to 
hang  in  his  presence  in  the  painting-room.  This 
quick  kind  of  work,  supposing  it  to  be  careful  at  the 
same  time,  will  help  the  student  in  his  general  prac- 
tice. Studies  of  the  figure  from  life,  landscape, 
drapery,  furniture,  flowers  and  fruit,  and  still-life, 


80 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


or  anything  else  suggesting  good  color,  or  light  and 
shade,  should  be  constantly  made  in  the  same  rapid 
and  intelligent  manner.  Such  a habit  of  working 
evolves,  so  to  speak,  a facility  and  readiness  to  see 
and  seize  on  anything  that  may  present  itself  as  ser- 
viceable to  the  painter. 

At  the  time  a work  is  being  painted,  the  painter 
should  always  bear  in  mind  that  if  any  change  takes 
place  in  it  after  it  goes  from  his  hands,  the  result  of 
imperfect  knowledge  on  his  part,  of  the  materials 
used,  or  of  the  mode  of  using  them,  it  cannot  be 
made  good  by  the  so-called  restorer. 

Any  excess  of  medium  or  oil,  or  any  indiscreet  use 
of  varnish,  should  be  carefully  avoided. 

We  have  been  told  that  injuries  of  this  kind  may 
be  rectified  by  cleaning,  but  experience  tells  us  that 
a picture  rarely  ever  passes  through  the  restorer’s 
hands  without  being  the  worse  for  it. 

Various  methods  have  been,  and  still  are  employed 
to  remove  varnish  from  oil-pictures.  Two  in  partic- 
ular have  usually  been  resorted  to,  namely,  those  by 
friction  and  solvents. 

Both  of  these  methods  are  attended  with  the 
greatest  danger  to  the  picture. 

Nothing  can  be  more  ruinous  to  an  oil-painting 
than  the  practice  of  cleaning  by  friction. 

The  freckled  look  which  many  old  pictures  pre- 
sent is  due  to  this  process,  and  it  is  quite  impossible 
that  it  can  be  otherwise.  The  lower  interstices  of 
the  surface  cannot  be  reached  by  friction,  before  the 
higher  prominences  are  damaged. 

At  the  end  of  a day’s  work,  most  likely  some  color 
will  be  left  unused  upon  the  palette.  This  should  be 
thrown  away  rather  than  saved,  and  the  palette 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


81 


thoroughly  cleaned  in  readiness  for  the  next  day’s 
work.  Colors  so  left  during  a night,  are  usually  un- 
fit for  use,  and  are  an  impediment  in  various  ways  to 
good  work. 

The  habit  of  going  over  the  doings  of  each  day, 
with  the  view  of  appointing  the  work  for  the  day  fol- 
lowing, should  be  formed  early,  as  this  greatly  facil- 
itates successful  study. 

It  is  a good  custom  to  take  a slip  of  paper  and 
quietly  look  over  the  work  in  hand,  noting  down 
from  time  to  time  everything  which  may  appear  to 
require  alteration,  and  when  beginning  to  work  again, 
look  over  the  notes  and  proceed  to  make  the  altera- 
tions accordingly. 

In  the  arrangement  of  a subject,  it  is  more  conve- 
nient that  the  light  should  come  over  the  left  side  of 
the  painter. 

When  painting  with  the  light  from  the  right,  the 
shadows  of  the  brush  and  mahlstick  fall  on  the 
canvas  and  interfere  with  the  pleasantness  of  the 
work. 

Care  should  always  be  taken  to  paint  far  enough 
away  from  the  sitter  or  subject.  When  this  is  not 
duly  observed,  the  objects  in  the  picture  will  appear 
to  be  sliding  out  of  it,  and  the  perspective  will  look 
wrong.  The  painter  should  not  look  down  upon  his 
subject,  nor  should  he  take  into  his  picture  more 
than  may  be  contained  within  an  angle  of  sixty  de- 
grees. 

If  the  room  in  which  he  may  have  to  work  is  in- 
conveniently small,  which  is  often  the  case,  the  dif- 
ficulty may  be  met  to  a certain  extent  by  sitting  on  a 
low  seat. 

With  regard  to  the  propriety  of  mixing  tints  with 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


S3 

the  palette-knife  previous  to  beginning  to  paint,  there 
is  a division  of  opinion  on  the  subject  amongst 
painters.  Much  depends  on  habit,  and  doubtless 
either  practice  will  end  in  the  right  result  if  carried 
out  with  intelligent  observation  and  perseverance. 
Still  theie  are  certain  advantages  to  be  derived  from 
mixing  a few  tints  with  the  palette  knife,  in  general 
imitation  of  the  objects  intended  to  be  represented. 
By  doing  so,  less  work  will  have  to  be  done  with  the 
brushes,  and  the  execution  will  most  likely  be  sim- 
pler. 

The  subtler  gradations  can  be  more  easily  mixed 
and  applied  to  the  canvas,  when  tints  are  partly  pre- 
pared with  the  palette-knife  beforehand. 

When  colors  can  be  laid  on  canvas,  and  the  re- 
quired effect  obtained  by  partially  mixing  one  with 
another,  the  result  is  usually  more  satisfactory  than 
when  more  complete  combination  takes  place,  and 
the  colors  used  are  also  likely  to  be  more  perma- 
nent. 

Effort  should  ever  be  made  to  paint  up  to  the  full 
brightness  of  nature. 

The  highest  lights  become  the  soonest  dulled  by 
age,  however  bright  they  may  have  been  at  first. 
Unless  this  practice  had  been  observed  by  the  best 
painters  of  former  times,  their  works  would  not  have 
been  in  that  excellent  condition  with  respect  to  this 
quality,  in  which  we  how  find  them. 

This  brightness  may  be  produced  in  two  ways:  by 
the  whiteness  of  the  underground,  and  also  by  a fair 
impasto  in  the  lightest  parts  of  the  work. 

The  practice  of  putting  the  brush  in  the  mouth 
when  painting  in  water-color  is  bad,  injurious  both 
to  the  general  health  and  the  teeth.  No  doubt  a 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


83 


certain  convenience  is  felt  in  doing  this,  but  if  the 
student  will  accustom  himself  to  free  the  brush  from 
excess  of  water  or  color,  by  drawing  it  along  a piece 
of  folded  blotting-paper,  it  will  meet  every  necessity. 

When  drawing  from  nature,  whether  the  figure, 
drapery,  flowers,  fruit  or  still-life,  the  background  in- 
tended to  be  represented  in  the  work,  should  always 
be  placed  behind  the  object  itself  when  practicable. 
Deviation  from  this  rule,  invariably  leads  to  difficul- 
ties, and  more  especially  with  young  students  who 
are  not  able  to  calculate  the  effect  of  the  object  at  all 
correctly  when  a different  practice  is  followed. 

Students  are  always  very  solicitous  about  the  kind 
of  manipulative  appearance  their  works  ought  to 
present,  and  not  unfrequently  form  incorrect  ideas 
on  the  subject. 

We  are  constantly  hearing  of  the  ‘nice  touch’  in 
works,  by  the  uninitiated;  and  it  is  thought  by  many 
amateurs  that  if  they  could  only  obtain  this  quality 
in  their  productions,  they  would  have  nearly  every- 
thing that  could  be  wished  for. 

Doubtless  a pleasant  mode  of  execution  is  a great 
fascination  with  every  painter.  With  some  it  is  the 
sole  aim,  to  the  neglect  of  the  more  essential  quali- 
ties of  art. 

It  may  be  said  that  all  kinds  of  manipulative  skill 
or  dexterity  of  hand,  are  absolute  emptiness,  unless 
accompanied  with  the  true  expression  of  the  object 
intended  to  be  represented. 

Smoothness  of  work  is  usually  attended  with  in- 
sipidity, and  is  less  to  be  preferred  to  that  intelligent 
brush  work,  which  expresses  with  freedom  the  pecu- 
liarities of  things. 

Form,  light  and  shade,  and  color,  may  be  given  in 


84 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


all  truth  by  a comparatively  few  strokes  of  the  brush; 
and  this  is  indeed  the  highest  kind  of  manipulation. 
In  such  a case  nearly  every  touch  will  most  likely  be 
the  concentrated  and  successful  effort  of  the  eye, 
the  mind,  and  the  hand — all  acting  in  unison  to  one 
end.  When  manipulation  of  this  kind  is  present  in 
a picture,  the  spectator  has  qualities  to  dwell  upon 
which  justly  give  him  a great  pleasure,  apart  from 
any  other  merits  which  the  work  may  possess.  ' 

The  size  of  the  picture  to  a certain  extent,  should 
regulate  the  painter,  as  to  the  kind  of  manipulative 
skill  he  ought  to  display.  And  small  cabinet  works 
should  be  as  perfect  as  possible  in  this  respect;  while 
larger  ones,  intend  d to  be  seen  at  a greater  distance, 
need  not  be  so  carefully  considered. 

The  best  paintings  by  David  Teniers  the  younger, 
regarded  as  small  works,  are  perfect  examples  of  the 
kind  of  skill  to  be  aimed  at  by  the  student.  Those 
by  Paolo  Veronese  and  Titian  stand  unrivalled 
amongst  the  larger  works  of  the  Old  Masters,  as  ex- 
amples of  fine  executive  power,  and  which  all  paint- 
ers may  study  to  the  greatest  advantage. 

REPAINTING. 

In  order  to  ascertain  if  the  parts  of  a picture  re- 
cently worked  upon  are  dry  enough  to  proceed  with, 
it  is  only  necessary  to  breathe  upon  them.  Should 
they  become  dull  on  the  surface,  it  is  an  indication 
that  the  work  is  dry  enough  to  be  carried  forward. 
But  should  it  present  patches  unaffected  by  the 
breath,  such  parts  are  wet,  and  may  not  be  inter- 
fered with.  When  the  whole  has  become  dry,  and 
it  is  necessary  to  repaint  or  retouch  the  work,  before 
doing  so,  again  breathe  on  it,  and  while  the  surface 


THE  USE  OE  COLORS. 


85 


is  dull,  apply  to  it  with  a stiff  brush,  a little  raw  lin- 
seed oil. 

This  will  help  the  fresh  color  to  unite  with  that 
previously  laid  on,  and  cause  it  to  work  pleasantly, 
which  it  would  not  do  without  this  assistance.  Care 
should  be  taken  that  not  more  than  a smear  of  oil 
be  applied  to  the  work  in  this  operation,  and  that  it 
be  not  rubbed  too  hard  with  the  brush. 

WATER-COLOR  PAINTING. 

A few  words  will  suffice  about  water-color  paint- 
ing. The  art  is  only  a few  years  old,  so  to  speak, 
and  may  be  said  to  have  been  originated  and  devel- 
oped in  this  country.  The  early  Italian  and  German 
masters,  certainly  did  paint  on  paper  with  a wash  of 
color  in  light  and  shade,  touching  on  the  lights  either 
with  white  lead  or  whiting,  to  which  an  adhesive 
substance  was  added.  But  it  remained  for  English 
painters  to  carry  out  fully  that  which  up  to  more 
modern  times  had  been  only  suggested. 

The  resources  of  water-color  painting  are  not  so 
gi  eat  as  those  of  oil-painting,  consequently  little  can 
be  said  about  them.  Most  of  the  colors  employed  in 
oil  are  suited  for  water  colors.  White  lead  is  replaced 
by  Chinese  White,  and  which  is  so  well  prepared  by 
the  colormen  that  the  painter  may  always  use  it  with- 
out the  least  concern,  either  as  to  permanence,  or 
general  fitness  for  his  work.  Zinc  White  is  used  as 
a water-color,  and  also  a preparation  of  baryta, 
which  in  all  respects  answer  perfectly  the  purposes 
required  of  them. 

The  discovery  of  Zinc  White,  soon  gave  a new  ex- 
pression to  water-color  art.  It  was  first  used  in  a 
sparing  manner,  and  only  parts  of  the  picture  were 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


touched  with  it,  more  especially  the  high  lights  and 
small  details,  which  could  the  more  readily  be  imitated 
with  body  color  than  by  leaving  the  lights. 

As  the  powers  of  this  new  pigment  became  obvious 
to  the  artist,  and  to  the  oil  painter  in  particular,  it 
was  made  to  do  that  work  in  water-color  painting, 
which  Flake  White  was  doing  in  oil,  until  at  last 
Zinc  White  (Chinese  White)  was  combined  with  all 
the  pigments  used  in  water-color  painting,  much  in 
the  manner  of  tempera  painting. 

Of  course  there  were,  and  still  are,  cries  against 
the  use  of  white  in  this  form.  These  objections  are 
more  matters  of  sentiment  than  anything  else.  The 
fact  is,  Chinese  White  requires  more  skill  to  use 
properly,  than  painting  simply  with  transparent  col- 
ors. 

With  some  painters  this  skill  is  never  acquired. 
In  many  works  the  presence  of  Chinese  White  is  so 
disagreeably  conspicuous  that  the  spectator  is  never 
able  to  forget  it. 

But  when  we  see  how  thoroughly  this  material  has 
been  made  subservient  to  the  intention  of  the  paint- 
er, as  in  the  works  of  William  Hunt,  I).  G.  Rosetti, 
Burne-Jones,  and  others,  it  must  be  felt  that  water- 
color  painting  has  gained  enormously  by  the  discov- 
ery of  Zinc  or  Chinese  White. 

When  well  made,  this  pigment  is  not  affected  by 
contact  with  other  colors,  nor  does  it  injure  any  with 
which  it  may  be  mixed. 

It  has  been  a question  as  to  which  of  the  two  kinds 
of  painting,  oil  or  water- color,  is  the  more  durable. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  all  the  causes  of  de- 
terioration in  paintings,  are  not  common  to  both 
processes. 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


87 


Oil  paintings  often  suffer  from  the  discoloring  ef- 
fect of  the  mediums  with  which  the  colors  are  mixed, 
and  from  the  application  of  varnishes  after  pictures 
are  finished.  They  are  also  liable  to  injury  from 
fissures  and  cracks.  These  are  the  peculiar  disad- 
vantages which  affect  the  permanence  of  oil-paint- 
ings. 

Water-color  paintings  suffer  in  other  ways. 

They  are  readily  attacked  by  damp,  and,  unlike 
oil-pictures,  there  is  nothing  mixed  with  the  colors 
capable  of  resisting  moisture.  When  water-color 
drawings  are  hung  against  a damp  wall,  or  placed  in 
a damp  room,  they  may  be  ruined  in  twelve  months, 
or  even  less  time. 

Works  of  this  description  are  also  more  subject  to 
change  from  bad  air,  there  being  no  protection  on 
the  surface  in  the  form  of  varnish. 

To  a certain  extent,  the  glass  will  shield  the  work 
from  the  causes  of  discoloration  of  this  kind,  but  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  exclude  damaging  vapors 
from  a picture  by  such  means,  for  any  length  of 
time. 

We  know  that  pictures  painted  in  oil  will  resist 
for  centuries  the  effects  of  time,  and  the  vicissitudes 
to  which  they  are  usually  subject.  But  we  have  no 
such  assurance  relative  to  water-color  painting,  as 
the  art  is  not  more  than  a hundred  and  fifty  years 
old. 

All  the  works  which  were  produced  at  the  early 
part  of  this  period  are  greatly  changed,  and  some  of 
them  are  worthless  as  works  of  art.  They  were 
chiefly  executed  in  transparent  colors. 

If  it  were  possible  to  protect  water-color  paintings 
from  the  influences  of  damp  and  bad  vapors,  there 


88 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


can  be  but  little  doubt  that  they  would  be  at  least  as 
enduring  as  oil-paintings;  but  until  this  has  been 
affected,  the  chances  are  against  it. 

Various  mediums  are  prepared  for  water-color 
painting,  and  most  of  them  are  of  no  real  use. 

The  dark  colors,  when  employed  in  deep  shadows, 
require  assistance  to  give  them  transparency,  and 
bring  out  their  full  depth  and  richness.  Gum  traga- 
cant-h  is  used  to  a great  extent  for  this  purpose,  as  it 
produces  a moderate  glaze  on  the  surface  of  a work, 
when  combined  with  colors. 

So  far,  this  is  satisfactory,  but  it  will  also  be  found 
that  this  gum  imparts  a turbid  quality  to  the  dark 
colors,  the  result  of  its  being  in  itself  only  semi- 
transparent. 

Gum  arabic  is  the  simplest  and  best  medium  to  as- 
sist the  transparency  and  depth  of  water-colors, 
and  when  discreetly  used,  will  meet  every  require- 
ment. 

It  may  be  added  that  an  effort  should  always  be 
made  to  do  without  vehicles  of  any  kind,  rather 
than  to  seek  their  aid  to  obtain  the  desired  effect. 

A water-color  painting,  if  executed  with  Chinese 
White,  and  exhausting  the  full  power  of  the  palette 
from  light  to  dark,  will  be  found  more  powerful  than 
an  oil-picture  produced  in  the  same  manner. 

The  dark  parts  of  the  work,  if  assisted  by  the  ad- 
dition of  a little  Gum  arabic,  may  be  of  the  depth 
and  richness  of  a work  in  oil-color. 

If  Chinese  White  be  freely  and  properly  used  in 
the  lightest  part  of  the  work,  it  will  be  brighter  than 
the  lightest  parts  of  an  oil-picture  painted  in  the 
same  key. 

The  Chinese  White  being  more  dense,  and  the 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


89 


particles  more  compact  than  the  Flake  White  em- 
ployed in  oil-color,  it  is  capable  of  reflecting  more 
light. 

The  ordinary  sable  and  hog-hair  brushes  used  for 
oil-painting  are  very  well  suited  for  water-colors. 
At  times  they  are  perferable  to  all  other  kinds,  while 
they  are  less  expensive  than  good  water-color  brushes. 

SOUND  ELEMENTARY  STUDY,  THE  FOUNDATION  OF 
ALL  SUCCESS. 

Students  are  generally  very  anxious  to  begin  to  use 
oil-colors,  to  ‘paint  in  oils/  as  they  sometimes  call  it. 
They  suppose  there  is  some  mysterious  virtue  or 
merit  in  the  materials  alone,  which  will  atone  for  a 
want  of  knowledge  of  drawing,  and  light,  and  shade. 
This  elementary  knowledge  ought  always  to  be  ac- 
quired by  the  simpler  means,  previous  to  using  either 
oil  or  water-colors. 

If  the  difficulties  of  drawing  with  chalk,  &c.,  have 
not  been  fairly  well  overcome,  it  is  improper  to  add 
other  difficulties,  and  more  especially  those  of  paint- 
ing in  oil  and  water-colors.  Yet  this  is  constantly 
done,  not  only  in  private  institutions,  but  in  schools 
of  art. 

To  paint  properly  with  oil-colors,  the  full  resources 
of  the  material  should  be  known  and  exhausted. 
To  mix  and  muddle  color  ground  in  oil,  is  not  oil- 
painting. 

To  use  either  oil  or  water-color  in  a proper  manner, 
every  stroke  should  be  well  aimed,  and  the  peculiar 
functions  of  the  materials  ascertained.  This  can  only  be 
done  by  the  more  elementary  work  being  thoroughly 
cariied  out  as  a preparation.  Impatience  to  do  what 
pt\ious  study  has  not  prepared  the  student  to  un- 


90 


THE  USE  OF  COLORS. 


dertake  intelligently,  has  led  to  blundering  efforts 
and  final  disappointment,  where  more  elementary 
training  would  have  ensured  success. 

He  who  attempts  to  run,  before  he  can  walk,  may 
expect  to  stumble,  and  finally  fall. 


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BCHDETT’S 

Select  Recitations  and  Readings, 

IN  PROSE  AND  POETRY. 

For  the  Use  of  Schools,  Colleges,  and  Public  Readers. 


Annie  and  Willie’s  Prayee 
Annie’s  Ticket. 

Anthony’s  Prayer. 

Arab’s  Farewell  to  his  Steed,  The. 
Baby’s  Kiss. 

Ballad  of  Roland  Clare,  The. 
Baron’s  Last  Banquet,  The. 

Battle  of  Fontenoy,  The. 

Battle  o f Ivry , The. 

Battle  ofMorgarten,  The. 

Beau. 

Benediction,  The. 

Beth  Gelert. 

Bill  Gibbon’s  Delirerance. 

Bill  Mason’s  Bride. 

Boat-Race,  The. 

Bridge  o f Sighs,  The. 

Burial  o f Little  Nell. 

Caldwell  of  Springfield. 

Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade,  The. 
Child’s  Prayer,  The. 

Confession  of  a Drunkard. 
Christian  Maiden  and  the  Lion, 
The. 

Cowardly  Jim. 

Cuddle  Doon. 

Curfew  must  net  Ring  To-Night. 
Death. 

Death-bed  of  Benedict  Arnold. 
Death  of  King  John. 

Death  of  Murat 
Death  o f‘  ‘ Old  Braze.” 

Death  of  the  Drunkard,  The. 
Death  of  the  Old  Squire,  The. 
Death  of  the  Reveller,  The. 
Defence  of  Lucknow,  The. 
Dermot’s  Parting. 

Diver,  The. 

Downfall  of  Poland,  The. 

Dream  of  Eugene  Aram,  The, 
Drowned. 

Dying  Hebrew,  Tha 
Eagle’s  Rock,  Tha 
Education. 

Evangelist,  The. 

Execution  of  Montrose,  The. 
Execution  of  Queen  Mary. 

Face  Against  the  Pane,  The. 

Fall  of  Pemberton  Mill,  The. 
Farmer  Gray’s  Photograph. 
Father  John. 

Fearless  De  Courcy,  The. 

Fireman,  The. 

First  Settler’s  Story,  The. 

Flight  for  Life,  The. 

Foreclosure  of  the  Mortgage,  The. 
Forgive, — No,  Never. 

Forgotten  Actor,  The. 

Found  Dead. 

Salley  Slave,  The. 

Same  Knut  Played,  The. 
ftlove  and  the  Lions,  The. 

Heart’#  Charity,  The. 


CONTENTS. 

He  Doeth  his  Alms  to  be  Seen  of 
Men. 

Henry  of  Navarre  before  Paris, 
Her  Last  Look. 

Heroism. 

Herv6  Riel. 

How  He  Saved  St.  Michael’s. 
How  J ane  Conquest  Rang  the  Bell 
In  the  Tunnel. 

Isabel’s  Grave. 

Ivan,  the  Czar 
Jean  Goello’s  Yarn. 

Jim  Bludso. 

John  Bartholemew’s  Ride. 

John  Maynard. 

Kate  Maloney. 

Karl  the  Martyr. 

King  Robert  of  Sicily. 

Last  Banquet,  The. 

Last  Hymn,  The. 

Last  Redoubt,  The. 

Last  Words. 

Leaguer  of  Lucknow,  The. 

Leap  of  Roushan  Beg,  The. 
Legend  of  the  Church  of  Los  An- 
geles. 

Legend  of  a Veil. 

Leper,  The. 

Little  Boy  I Dreamed  About,  The. 
Little  Golden  Hair. 

Little  Grave,  The. 

Little  Hero,  The. 

Little  Jim. 

Little  Ned. 

Little  Phil 
Little  Will 

Little  Rocket’s  Christmas. 
Lochinvar. 

Lost  and  Found. 

“ Lynch  for  Lynch.” 

Maclaine’s  Child. 

MainTruck.The;  or, A Leap  forLife 
Maniac,  The. 

Marco  Bozzaris. 

Marseillaise  at  Sebastopol,  The. 
Martyrs  of  Sandomir,  The. 

Mary  Queen  of  Scots. 

Mary,  the  Maid  of  the  Inn. 

Mask  and  Domino. 

Master  Jonny’s  Next-door  Neigh- 
bor. 

Maud  Muller. 

Mona’s  Waters. 

Mother  and  her  Dead  Child,  The. 
“Mother’s  Fool.” 

My  Bread  on  the  Waters. 

New  dear’s  Eve. 

Night  Watch,  The. 

Nobody’s  Child. 

Nothing. 

Ode  to  Eloquence. 

Old  Man’s  Prayer,  The. 

O Maria,  Regina  Misericordise. 


O’Mnrtogh. 

One  of  King  Charles*  Madcap  Met 
Only  a Jew. 

Over  the  Hill  from  the  Poorhoos® 
Over  the  Hill  to  tha  Poufhous*. 
Over  the  River. 

Out  in  the  Storm. 

Painter  ofFlorenos,  Tha 
Papa’s  Letter. 

Parrhasius. 

Pass  of  Brander,  Tha 
Phil  Rlood’s  Leap. 

Polish  Boy,  The. 

Poor  Little  Joe. 

Portrait,  The. 

Ramon. 

Red  Jacket,  The. 

Rescue,  The. 

Ride  of  J ennie  McNeal,  The. 
Richelieu ; or,  The  Conspiracy: 
Sea  Captain’s  Story,  The. 
Sergeant’s  Story,  The,  of  tfe* 
Light  Brigade. 

Seventh  Fusileers, 

She  is  Dead. 

Ship  on  Fire,  The. 

Sim’s  Little  Girl. 

Sister  of  Charity,  The, 
Somebody’s  Darling: 

Somebody’s  Mother. 

Spanish  Armada,  Th* 

Spanish  Mother,  The: 

Spanish  Page,  The. 

Station  Agent’s  Story,  The: 

Story  of  the  Faithful  Soul,  That 
Street  Musicians,  The. 

Street  Organ-Player,  The. 

Sue’s  Thanksgiving. 

Suicide,  The. 

Supporting  the  Guns. 

There’ll  be  Room  in  Heaven. 
Three  Sons,  The. 

Three  Words  (The);  Arnold  the 
Traitor 
Tiger  Bay. 

Tim’s  Kit. 

Told  at  the  Falcon. 

Tom. 

To  Mark  Mother’s  Gram 
Tramp,  The. 

Trooper’s  Story,  The. 

True  Hero,  A. 

Turn  Mother’s  Face  to  the 
Two  Loves  and  a Life. 

Unfinished  Prayer,  The 
We  are  Seven. 

What  Ailed  “ Ugly  Sam.  ’ * 

Where  the  Angels  Lingered. 

Will  the  New  Year  On*t  ft- 
Night,  Mamma. 

Woolen  Doll,  Tha 
Yeoman's  Story,  Tha. 

Young  Tramp,  Tha 


Containing'  508  pages,  bound  in  extra  Cloth,  Price  $1.00w 

For  sale  by  all  Booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid,  on  reoeipt  f price. 

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BTJR.r)EJTrr,S 

Irish  Dialect  Recitations  and  Readings, 


CONTENTS. 

The  “ Ager.”  IKatieV  Answer. 

The  Battle  of  Limerick.  iLarric  O’Dee. 

Biddy  McGinnis  on  the, Larry’s  on  the  Force. 


Photograph. 

Biddy  McGinnis  at  the 
Photographer’s. 

Biddy’s  Trials  Among  the 
Yankees. 

Biddy’s  Troubles. 

The  Birth  of  St.  Patrick. 

'The  Donkey. 

Don’t  be  Tazing  Me. 

The  Emigrants. 

How  Pat  Saved  His  Bacon 
Irish  Coquetry. 

An  Irish  Letter. 

The  Irish  Philosopher. 

The  Irish  Schoolmaster. 

The  Irish  Traveller. 

An  Irishm  n’s  Letter. 

The  Irishman’s  Panorama 
Jimmy  McBride’s  Letter.  | 

Bound  in  illuminated  paper  cover. 


Love  in  the  Kitchen. 

Make  it  Four  Yer  Honor. 

The  Man  He  Was  Waiting 
to  Sec. 

Mike’s  Confession. 

Miss  Maloney  on  the  Chi- 
nese Question. 

Miss  Maloney  Goes  to  the 
Dentist. 

Modern  Astronomy  and 
Philosophy. 

Mr.  Moloney’s  Account  of 
the  Ball. 

Noah  Murphy  and  the 
Spirits. 

The  O’Nayle  who  had 
Lost  the  Big  “ O.” 

O’Reilly’s  Nightmare. 


O’Thello. 

Paddy  Blake’s  Echo. 
Paddy’s  Courting. 
Paddy’s  Dream. 

Paddy  the  Piper. 

Paddy  O’Raftber. 

Paddy’s  Reflections  t 
Cleopathra’s  N y.-dle. 
Pat’s  Criticism. 

Pat’s  Letter. 

Pat  and  His  Musket. 

Pat  and  the  Oysters. 
Patrick  O’Rouke  and  th| 
Frogs. 

Paudeen  O'Refferty’s  Sa| 
Voyage. 

Peter  Mulrooney  and  th« 
Black  Filly. 

Tim  Murphy’s  Irish  Stew 
The  Wake  of  Tim  O’Hara 
The  Widow  Cummiskey. 

- Price,  25  cents. 


BURDETT’S 

New  Comic  Recitatioos&  Humorous  Readings 

CONTENT^. 

Add.  Ryman’s  Fourth  of  How  She  Managed  It.  [Pyrotechnic  Polyglot. 

July  Oration.  [How  They  Plaj  the  Piano  A Receipt  for  Actors. 

The  Aged  Stranger.  j in  New  Orleans.  :She  Meant  Business. 

A Baby’s  Soliloquy.  iHow  to  Manage  Carpets.  She  Was  Too  Fastidious 

Be-Yu-Ti-Ful  Snow.  jHow  Toro  Sawyer  Got  His  |A  Similar  Case. 

’"he  Blue  Bottle  Fly.  I Fence  v\  hite-washed.  jThe  Simple  Story  of  G. 
’heBook  Agent  Beats  Ihejliow  wo  Hunted  a Mouse.  I Washington. 

Bandit.  Au  Idyl  of  the  Period.  ]A  Speech  which  every 

The  Brakeman  at  Cbuxch.jTbe  irre-pressible  Boy.  Congressman  Could TJn- 
Brigg’s  Rash  Bet.  Jim  Wolfe  and  the  Cats. 

Buck  Fanshawe’sFunp.rd  John  Spiner’s  Shirt. 

Butterwick’s  Little  Gay  Love  in  Oyster  Bay. 

Bill.  ! Maidens,  Beware  I 

The  Captain’s  Speech  to  Mr.  Ephraim  Muggins  on 
the  Montgomery  Guards | Oilymargarine. 

The  Car  Condur  tor’sMr.  Potts’  Story. 

Mistake.  j A New  Primer. 

The  Case  of  Young  Bangs.  Nobody’s  Mule. 


One  of  Those  Awful  Chil- 
dren. 


derstand. 
Spoopendyke’s  Suspend- 
ers. 

A Struggle  with  a Stove 
Pipe. 

That  Bad  Boy  Again. 
iThat  Emerson  Boy. 

[That.  Hired  Girl. 

Tou jours  Jamais.” 
Travelling  in  a Mixed 
! Train. 

The  Two  Boot  Blacks. 


Confessing  their  Faults. 

Faithless  Sally  Brown. 

Fast  Freight.  !Only  a Pin 

The  Frenchman  and  the  The  Parent  with  the  Hoof  The  Villain  Still  Pursued 
Flea  Powder.  i A Plea  for  the  Opera.  [ Her 

Darius  Green  and  His  Fly- The  Presentation  of  the  The  Wrong  Ashes. 

ing  Machine.  Trumpet.  The  Yarn  of  the  “Nancy 

He  Had  Been  to  Candahar  The  Puzzled  Census}  Bell.” 

How  “ Ruby  ” Played.  | Taker.  | 

Hlu8trated  paper  cover.  ------  Price,  25  cents. 

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EXCELSIOR  SELECTIONS. 

A collection  of  the  most  popular  and  successful  Readings  and  Recitations  adapted 
for  public  or  Parlob  Entertainments. 

besides  the  New  and  Original  pieces  never  before  published  in  permanent  form,  this  volume 
brings  together  many  of  the  best  selections  of  Humorous,  Dramatic,  Sentimental,  Patriotic,  Lie. 
fuent,  Pathetic  and  Dialect  pieces  in  prose  and  poetry. 

It  is  the  Newest  and  Handsomest  book  of  its  kind  ever  published. 


Aux  Italiens 
Asleep  at  the  Switch 
Bachelor’s  Dream,  The 
Before  and  After  Taking 
Boy’s  Essay  on  Girls,  A 
Border  Funeral,  A 
Brother  Bill 

Brother  Gardner  on  Liars 
bells  of  Shandon 
Bishop  of  Ross,  The 
Building  and  Being 
Battle  of  Waterloo,  The 
Benediction 

Biddy  Maginness  at  the  Photog- 
rapher’s 
Billy’s  Rose 

Black  Horse  and  His  Rider,  Tho 
Book  Canvasser,  The 
Brier  Rose  ^ 

Cane-Bottomed  Chair 

Countryman  at  the  Show,  The 

Clown’s  Baby,  The 

Cow,  The  A Boy’s  Composition. 

Charity  Dinner,  The 

Conno* 

Crazy  Kate 
Cuddle  Doon 

Californian  and  a New  York 
Segar,  A 
Caoch  the  Piper 
Cataract  of  Lodore,  The 
Catawba  Wine 
Children  We  Keep,  The 
Chinese  Excelsior,  The 
Clothing  Business,  The 
Goal?  of  Fire 
Come 

Curfew  Must  Not  Ring  To-Night 
De  Cake  Walk 

Death-Bed  of  Benedict  Arnold 
Drummer’s  Bride,  The 
Death  of  the  Old  Squire,  The 
Dot  Baby  off  Mine 
Drama  of  Three,  The 
Duel  betweft&Mr.  Shott  and  Mr. 
Nott 

Death  of  Ronespierre,  The 
Difficulty  in  Rhyming 
Engineers  Making  Love 


CONTENTS. 

Granger  and  the  Gambler,  The 
He  Understood  It 
Horse  or  Husband 
How  We  Fought  the  Fire 
His  Last  Court 
How  “Ruby”  Played 
How  Sockery  Set  a Hen 
Her  Rival 
How  Girls  Study 
How  Jane  Conquest  Rang  the 
Bell 

In  Der  Shweed  Long  Ago 
Intensely  Utter 
Inventor’s  Wife,  The 
Irrepressible  Yankee,  The 
Jim's  Kids 
Jiners,  The 
Justice  in  Leadviile 
Jack 

Kate  Maloney 

Katrina’s  Visit  to  New  York 
Knight’s  Toast,  The 
Kitchen  Clock,  The 
Little  Meg  and  I 
Lost  Grave,  The 
Legend  of  Innisfallen,  The 
Lost  and  Found 
Left 

Life  Boat,  The 
Life’s  Magnet 
Marriage  Tour 
Mary’s  Lamb 
Miner’s  Protegee,  The 
Modern  Sermon,  A 
Music  Grinders,  The 
Maniac,  The 

Mr.  Fisher’s  Bereavement 
My  Neighbor’s  Baby 
Mary’s  Lamb  on  a New  Principle 
Maud  Rosihue’s  Choice 
Miss  Maloney  on  the  Chinese 
Question 

Moll  Jarvis  O’Marley 

Mrs.  Smart  Learns  How  to  Skate 

My  Garden 

My  Lover 

Ninety-eight 

No.  5 Collect  St. 

Not  Opposed  to  Matrimony 
Nora  Murphy  and  the  Spirit* 
Nancy 

Now  and  Then 
Old  Actor’s  Story,  The 
Old  Sergeant,  The 
On  the  other  Train 
Oratory  and  the  Press 
Original  Love  Story,  An 
Our  First  Cigars 
Occupant  of  Lower  No.  3,  The 
Old  Man  Goes  to  Town,  The 
Oration  on  the  Labor  Question 
Over  the  Hill  from  the  Poor 
House 

Over  the  Hill  to  the  Poor  House 
Old  Man  in  the  Palace  Car,  The 
Our  Travelled  Parson 


Erin’s  Flag 

Essay  on  the  Elephant 
Emigrants,  The 
Father  Prout’s  Sermon 
Fireman’s  Story,  The 
Fisher’s  Wife,  The 
Free  Seat,  A 

Freckled-Faced  Girl,  The 
Frenchman’s  Version  of  Young 
Norval 

Froward  Duster,  The 
Farmer  John 
Fearless  De  CoUrcy,  The 
01  ash.  (The  Fireman's  Story) 

Cogitation,  A 
Grannie’s  Picture 
Going  to  School 

Containing  500  pages,  bound  in  extra  Cloth,  Price 
For  sale  by  all  Booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid,  on  receipt  of  price. 

HCELSIOB  PUBT.TSFmG  HOUSE.  29  & 3X  Beekman  St  Hew  York, 


Paddy’s  Lament 
Parson  Snow’s  Broad  Hind 
Philip  Barton,  Engineer 
Photograph  Album,  The 
Paddy’s  Reflections  on  Cleopc- 
thera’s  Needle 
Piece  of  Red  Calico 
Pledge  with  Wine 
Providence  Pulled  him  Throng* 
Phryne’s  Husband 
Poor  House  Nan 
Railway  Matinee,  A 
Religious  Card  Player 
Robert  Emmet 
Romance  at  a Hammock 
Rag-picker,  The 
Revenge  is  Sweet 
Room  Enough  for  All 
Shoemaker’s  Daughter,  The 
Smiting  the  Rock 


S’posin’ 

Stage  Driver’s  Story,  The 
Supper  of  St.  Gregory,  The 
Shipwrecked 
Soft  Guitar,  The 
Song  of  the  Shirt 
Spring  House-cleaning 
Story  of  the  Faithful  Soul 
Street  Cries 
Scandal,  A 

Seedy  One,  A.  (A  tala  of  Frau< 
and  Deception.) 

Sign  Board,  The 
Sister  of  Charity,  The 
Smoker’s  Soliloquy,  A 
Tale  of  the  Tenth  Hussars 
Test,  A 
That  Queen 

Trying  to  Lick  the  Teacher 
That  Woman  Played  Despair 
Tirzah  Ann’s  Summer  Trip 
To  Draw  or  not  to  Draw 
Threadwater  Jim 
Two  Glasses,  The 
Tale  of  a Dog,  The 
To  a Skeleton 

Trouble  in  the  Amea  OOtStZ? 
Unknown  Dead 
Uncle  Ike’s  Rooster* 

Uncle  Ned’s  Defens* 

Valentine,  The 
Widder,  The 
Widow’s  Son,  The 
Woman  at  Poker 
What  Intemperance 
What  made  him  Glad 
Widow  Cummiskey,  Th«_ 
Wickedest  Man  in  '* 

Winnie’s  Welcome 
What  is  a Gentleman* 

When 

Witness,  The 
Wounded 

Wrong  Train,  Tb* 


bixe£I>E7Xuzws 

Select  Recitations  and  Readings, 

IN  PROSE  AND  POETRY. 

For  the  Use  of  Schools,  Colleges,  and  Public  Readers. 


» and  Willie’s  Prayer. 

Annie’s  Ticket. 

Anthony’s  Prayer. 

Arab’s  F arewell  to  his  Steed,  The. 
Baby’s  Kiss. 

Ballad  of  Roland  Clare,  The. 
Baron’s  Last  Banquet,  The. 

Battle  of  Fontenoy,  The. 

Battle  o f Ivry , The. 

Battle  ofMorgarten,  The. 

Beau.  * 

Benediction,  The. 

Beth  Gelert. 

Bill  Gibbon’s  Deliverance. 

Bill  Mason’s  Bride. 

Boat-Race,  The. 

Bridge  of  Sighs,  The. 

Burial  o f Little  Nell. 

Caldwel  1 of  Springfield. 

Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade,  The. 
Child’s  Prayer,  The. 

Confession  of  a Drunkard. 
Christian  Maiden  and  the  Lion, 
The. 

Cowardly  Jim. 

Cuddle  lioon. 

Curfew  must  not  Ring  To-Night 
Death. 

Death-bed  of  Benedict  Arnold. 
Death  o f King  John. 

Death  of  Murat 
Death  of“01d  Braze.” 

Death  of  the  Drunkard,  The. 
Death  o f the  Old  Squire,  The. 
Death  of  the  Reveller,  The. 
Defence  of  Lucknow,  The. 

Dar mot’s  Parting. 

Diver,  The. 

Downfall  of  Poland,  The. 

Dream  of  Eugene  Aram,  The. 
Drowned. 

Dying  Hebrew,  Tha 
Eagle’s  Rock,  Tha 
Education. 

Evangelist,  The. 

Execution  o f Montrose,  The. 
Execution  of  Queen  Mary. 

Face  Against  the  Pane,  The. 

Fall  of  Pemberton  Mill,  The. 
Fanner  Gray’s  Photograph. 
Father  John. 

Fearless  De  Courcy,  The. 

Fireman,  The. 

' First  Settler’s  Story,  The. 

Flight  for  Life,  The. 

Foreclosure  of  the  Mortgage,  The. 
Forgive,— No,  Never. 

Forgotten  Actor,  The. 

Found  Dead. 

Salley  Slave,  The. 

Same  Knut  Played,  The. 

Sieve  and  the  Lions,  Tha 
Heart's  Charity,  Tha 


CONTENTS. 

He  Doeth  his  Alms  to  be  Seen  of 
Men. 

Henry  of  Navarre  before  Paris. 
Her  Last  L«ok. 

Heroism. 

Herv6  Riel. 

How  He  Saved  St.  Michael’s. 

How  J ane  Conquest  Rang  the  Bell 
In  the  Tunnel. 

Isabel’s  Grave. 

Ivan,  the  Czar 
Jean  Goello’s  Yam. 

Jim  Bludso. 

John  Bartholemew’s  Rida 
John  Maynard. 

Kate  Maloney. 

Karl  the  Martyr. 

King  Robert  of  Sicily. 

Last  Banquet,  Tha 
Last  Hymn,  The. 

Last  Redoubt,  Tha 
Last  Words. 

Leaguer  of  Lucknow,  Tha 
Leap  of  Roushan  Beg,  The. 
Legend  of  the  Church  of  Los  An- 
geles. 

Legend  of  a Veil. 

Leper,  The. 

Little  Boy  I Dreamed  About,  The. 
Little  Golden  Hair. 

Little  Grave,  Tha 
Little  Hero,  Tha 
Little  Jim. 

Little  Ned. 

Little  Phil. 

Little  Will 

Little  Rocket’s  Christmasi 
Lochinvar. 

Lost  and  Found. 

“ Lynch  for  Lynch.*' 

Maclaine’s  Child. 

MainTruck.The;  or,  A Leap  forLife 
Maniac,  The. 

Marco  Bozzaria 
Marseillaise  at  Sebastopol,  The. 
Martyrs  ofSandomir,  The. 

Mary  Queen  of  Scots. 

Mary,  the  Maid  of  the  Inn. 

Mask  and  Domino. 

Master  Jonny’s  Next-door  Neiglt- 
bor. 

Maud  Muller. 

Mona’s  Waters. 

Mother  and  her  Dead  Child,  The. 
“Mother’s  Fool.” 

My  Bread  on  the  Waters, 

New  Year’s  Eve. 

Night  Wateh,  The. 

Nobody’s  Child. 

Nothing. 

I Ode  to  Eloquence. 

Old  Man’s  Prayer,  The. 

| O Maria,  Regina  Miserioordise. 


O’Mnrtogh. 

One  of  King  Charles’ Madcap  Mas 
Only  a Jew. 

Over  the  H ill  firotn  the  PoorhooM 
Over  the  Hill  to  the  Powhouss. 
Over  the  River. 

Out  in  the  Storm. 

Painter  o f Florence,  Tha 
Papa’s  Letter. 

Parrhasius. 

Pas^of  Brander,  Thet 
Phil  Blood’s  Leap. 

Polish  Boy,  The. 

Poor  Little  Joe. 

Portrait,  The. 

Ramon. 

Red  Jacket,  Tha 
Rescue,  The. 

Ride  of  Jennie  McNeal,  Tha 
Richelieu ; or.  The  Conspiracy 
Sea  Captain’s  Story,  The. 
Sergeant’s  Story,  The,  of  <fe» 
Light  Brigade. 

Seventh  Fusileera. 

She  is  Dead, 

Ship  on  Fire,  The. 

Sim’s  Little  Girl. 

Sister  of  Charity,  Tha 
Somebody’s  Darlings 
Somebody’s  Mother. 

Spanish  Armada,  Tha 
Spanish  Mother,  Tha 
Spanish  Page,  The. 

Station  Agent’s  Story,  Tha 
Story  of  the  Faithful  Soul,  Tha 
Street  Musicians,  The. 

Street  Organ-Player,  Tha 
Sue’s  Thanksgiving. 

Suicide,  The. 

Supporting  the  Guns. 

There’ll  be  Room  in  Heaves. 
Three  Sons,  The. 

Three  Words  (The);  Arnold  tig) 
Traitor 
Tiger  Bay. 

Tim’s  Kit 
Told  at  the  Falcon. 

Tom. 

To  Mark  Mother’s  Grava 
Tramp,  The. 

Trooper’s  Story,  Tha 
True  Hero,  A. 

Turn  Mother’s  Face  to  the  Waft, 
Two  Loves  and  a Life. 

Unfinished  Prayer,  The 
We  are  Seven. 

What  Ailed  “ Ugly  Sam.” 

■Where  the  Angels  Lingered. 

Will  the  New  Year  Cocas  Wy 
Night,  Mamma 
Woolen  Doll,  The. 

Yeoman’s  Story,. Tha 
Young  Tramp,  Tha 


Containing  50S  pages,  bound  in  extra  Cloth,  Price  $ 1.09s 

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